US state department issues global travel alert

The US state department has issued a global travel alert on fears of an unspecified al-Qaeda attack.

According to the state department the potential for an attack was especially strong in the Middle East and North Africa.

The alert comes after the US intercepted electronic communications between senior al-Qaeda figures, according to The New York Times which quoted officials.

The alert comes following the announcement by the US that nearly two dozen embassies and consulates would be shut on Sunday.

According to the US state department, the alert would expire on 31 August 2013 and it recommended that US citizens travelling abroad be vigilant.

"Current information suggests that al-Qaeda and affiliated organisations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August," the statement said.

The alert warned of "the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure".

The newspaper said that high-level intercepts were collected and analysed this week and their significance was immediately recognised by the CIA, state department and White House.

According to a CNN report, the US travel alert related to intelligence received by officials about a potential attack originating in Yemen and added that its information was based on three sources, who said the US had information that al-Qaida in Yemen was "in the final stages of planning for an unspecified attack".

According to the State Department travel alert, "Current information suggests that al-Qaida and affiliated organisations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August."

"US citizens are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure – terrorists have targeted and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation and maritime services."

President Barack Obama had ordered that ''all appropriate steps" be taken to protect Americans in response to a threat of an al-Qaeda attack, according to AFP news agency quoting a White House official.

The official added that the president was being updated on a potential threat occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula.

According to Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, congressional leaders had been briefed about the alert.

"There is some understanding of the seriousness of the threat," she told reporters.

According to Republican lawmaker Jason Chaffetz, he understood that there was "a very real worldwide threat".

According to Dutch Ruppersberger, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, the threat was not in response to  "the regular chit chat" gleaned from would-be militants online or elsewhere.

He told the Associated Press news agency that the most important thing to do was to protect American lives.