News

DATE=12/14/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-242971 TITLE=U-S / TERROR THREAT (L ONLY) BYLINE=KYLE KING DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: U-S CITIZENS IN SEVEN COUNTRIES AROUND THE PERSIAN GULF ARE BEING WARNED OF POSSIBLE TERRORIST ATTACKS DURING THE NEXT 30 DAYS. FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS. TEXT: U-S OFFICIALS SAY THE WARNING IS BASED ON WHAT THEY DESCRIBE AS A CREDIBLE AND SERIOUS THREAT OF POSSIBLE TERRORIST ATTACK. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES FOLEY SAYS U-S EMBASSIES IN SEVEN GULF COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN CONTACTING U-S CITIZENS TO URGE THEM TO TAKE ADDITIONAL SECURITY PRECAUTIONS. /// FOLEY ACT /// THE FOLLOWING WARDEN MESSAGE WAS RELEASED OVER THE WEEKEND BY U-S EMBASSIES. THE EMBASSY HAS INFORMATION INDICATING A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT TERRORIST ELEMENTS ARE PLANNING AN ATTACK AGAINST U-S TARGETS IN THE GULF, POSSIBLY IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS. /// END ACT /// U-S OFFICIALS HAVE REFUSED TO IDENTIFY THE GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL THAT MADE THE THREAT, BUT THEY SAY WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN KUWAIT, OMAN, BAHRAIN, QATAR, THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, SAUDI ARABIA, AND YEMEN. NEWS REPORTS FROM THE REGION SAY U-S MILITARY PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN PUT UNDER CURFEW AND TOLD NOT TO GATHER IN LARGE NUMBERS IN PUBLIC PLACES. MORE THAN 40-THOUSAND U-S CITIZENS LIVE IN THE REGION, INCLUDING ABOUT NINE-THOUSAND MEMBERS OF THE U-S MILITARY. SECURITY IN THE REGION HAS BEEN A MAJOR CONCERN SINCE THE DEADLY ATTACKS IN SAUDI ARABIA THAT LEFT 24 AMERICANS DEAD IN 1995 AND 1996. (SIGNED) NEB/KBK/WDC/WFR 14-Dec-98 3:53 PM EST (2053 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .