MANAMA, 3 July 2004 — The United States has urged its citizens in Bahrain to consider leaving after receiving “credible” information about planned attacks on US and Western targets in the country, home to the US Navy Fifth Fleet. But Bahraini officials downplayed the travel warning.
A top Bahraini Foreign Ministry official said that they were not expecting any terrorist attacks.
“This is only a anticipatory warning based on information the US government had received,” he said.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources said that the US government had informed Bahrain of its intention to issue the warning prior to its release on Thursday.
The US Embassy has canceled a reception slated for July 4 at the Gulf Hotel for security reasons, while officials at the Naval Support Activity (NSA) said that plans for Independence Day remain intact.
“The State Department warns US citizens to defer travel to Bahrain. American citizens currently in Bahrain are urged to consider departing,” the statement said.
“The State Department has received information that extremists are planning attacks against US and other Western interests in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Credible information indicates that extremists remain at large and are planning attacks in Bahrain”
A spokeswoman for the US Embassy said that no further details were available regarding the warning and advised US citizens to check the websites of the embassy (http://www.usembassy.gov) and State Department (http://travel.state.gov) for further updates.
She added that US citizens who travel to, or remain in Bahrain despite the travel warning should register at the embassy and enroll in the warden system (emergency alert network) to obtain updated information on travel and security in Bahrain.
Commander James Graybeal from the NSA said that the 5th Fleet Command was continuously reviewing the security measures to ensure the safety of US servicemen and their families.
“There has been no decision to send the families of the servicemen back home at this time but it remains as one of the options we are discussing to ensure the safety of the servicemen and their families,” he said.
