US consulates close worldwide after Al Qaeda threat

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Bangladeshi police stopped a motorist in front of the US embassy building in Dhaka, Bangladesh that remained closed due to a security threat of terrorist attacks that led to the weekend closure of 21 US embassies and consulates in the Middle East and North Africa, including those in Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Tel Aviv. The United States also issued a global travel warning to Americans, the first such alert since an announcement before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 strikes.



Bangladeshi police stop a motorist for checking in front of the U.S. embassy building that remained closed due to security threat in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. The threat of a terrorist attack led to the weekend closure of 21 U.S. embassies and consulates in the Muslim world and a global travel warning to Americans, the first such alert since an announcement before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 strikes. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad)


Bangladeshi police stopped a motorist in front of the US embassy building in Dhaka, Bangladesh that remained closed due to a security threat of terrorist attacks that led to the weekend closure of 21 US embassies and consulates in the Middle East and North Africa, including those in Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Tel Aviv. The United States also issued a global travel warning to Americans, the first such alert since an announcement before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 strikes.


A.M. Ahad/Associated Press


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epa03812695 A general view of the US Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, 04 August 2013. The USA have issued a warning to its citizens and travelers following message intercepts by senior Al Qaeda members discussing attacks against American targets, warning to avoid crowded areas such as stations and travel areas, after the US State Department announced plans to close dozens of US Embassies and Consulates in the Middle East and North Africa, including those in Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Tel Aviv. The US Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General in Jerusalem are normally closed on both Saturdays and Sundays EPA/KHALED ELFIQI

The US Embassy in Cairo was closed on Aug. 4 after the US issued a warning to its citizens and travelers following message intercepts by senior Al Qaeda members discussing attacks against American targets. Americans in the Middle East were warned to avoid crowded places such as stations and travel areas. The US Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General in Jerusalem are normally closed on both Saturdays and Sundays.


KHALED ELFIQI/EPA


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Police officers stand guard outside the US embassy in Tokyo on August 4, 2013. Interpol issued on August 3 a global security alert after jailbreaks linked to Al-Qaeda freed hundreds of militants, as the United States and other Western powers planned to temporarily close certain embassies over terror threats. AFP PHOTO / TOSHIFUMI KITAMURATOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images

Police officers stood guard outside the US embassy in Tokyo, Japan. Interpol issued a global security alert on Aug. 3 after jailbreaks linked to Al Qaeda freed hundreds of militants, alongside temporary closure of certain US embassies and consulates.


TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images


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epa03811946 A general view of the US Embassy with barriers blocking the access in Tel Aviv, Israel, 03 August 2013. The United States has issued a warning to its citizens and travelers following message intercepts by senior Al Qaeda members discussing attacks against American targets, warning to avoid crowded areas such as stations and travel areas, after the US State Department announced plans to close dozens of US Embassies and Consulates in the Middle East and North Africa, including those in Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Tel Aviv. The US Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General in Jerusalem are normally closed on both Saturdays and Sundays. EPA/OLIVER WEIKEN

Barriers blocked access to the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel on Aug. 3.


OLIVER WEIKEN/EPA


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Yemeni police, man a check point, in the capital Saana on August 3, 2013. The United States issued a worldwide warning that Al-Qaeda may attack in August as it ordered shut its embassies across the Islamic world. Britain also said it would temporarily close its embassy in Yemen as US lawmakers said the threat likely involved Al-Qaeda's franchise in the country. AFP PHOTO/ MOHAMMED HUWAISMOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP/Getty Images

Yemeni police manned a checkpoint in Sana following the US alert. Britain also said it would temporarily close its embassy in Yemen as US lawmakers said the threat likely involved Al Qaeda's franchise in the country.


MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP via Getty Images


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epa03812094 Security barriers block the access to the US Embassy in Sana’a, Yemen, 03 August 2013. The United States has issued a warning to its citizens and travelers following message intercepts by senior Al Qaeda members discussing attacks against American targets, warning to avoid crowded areas such as stations and travel areas, after the US State Department announced plans to close dozens of US Embassies and Consulates in the Middle East and North Africa, including those in Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Tel Aviv. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB

Security barriers blocked access to the US Embassy in Sana.


YAHYA ARHAB/EPA


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Bangladeshi policemen stand guard outside the US embassy in Dhaka on August 4, 2013. Interpol have issued a global security alert after jailbreaks linked to Al-Qaeda freed hundreds of militants, as the United States and other Western powers planned to temporarily close certain embassies over terror threats. AFP PHOTO/Munir uz ZAMANMUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images

Bangladeshi policemen stood guard outside the US embassy in Dhaka on Aug. 4.


MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images


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An Indonesian policeman (C) stands guard outside the US embassy in Jakarta on August 4, 2013. Interpol issued on August 3 a global security alert after jailbreaks linked to Al-Qaeda freed hundreds of militants, as the United States and other Western powers planned to temporarily close certain embassies over terror threats. AFP PHOTO / ADEK BERRYADEK BERRY/AFP/Getty Images

An Indonesian policeman stood guard outside the US embassy in Jakarta.


ADEK BERRY/AFP via Getty Images


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A Bahraini armored personnel vehicle and personnel reinforce U.S. Embassy security just outside of a gate to the building in Manama, Bahrain, on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. Security forces close access roads, put up extra blast walls and beef up patrols near some of the 21 U.S. diplomatic missions in the Muslim world that Washington ordered closed for the weekend over a ``significant threat'' of an al-Qaida attack. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)

A Bahraini armored vehicle and personnel reinforced US Embassy security just outside of a gate to the building in Manama, Bahrain on Aug. 4. Security forces closed access roads, put up extra blast walls and beefed up patrols near some of the 21 US diplomatic missions in the Muslim world.


Hasan Jamali/Associated Press


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