US warns of terror threat in Thailand

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By Bill Roggio - January 13, 2012 - Threat Matrix

The US Embassy in Bangkok issued an "Emergency Message to US Citizens" that warned of "Possible Terrorist Threat." The statement was released on the embassy's website:

    This message alerts U.S. citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future. U.S. citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok.

    U.S. citizens are encouraged to maintain a heightened awareness when out in public; be alert for unattended packages/bags in public/crowded places and report any suspicious behavior to the nearest law enforcement personnel. We also encourage you to keep a low profile in public areas, particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists.

The statement did not indicate who may carry out the attack. Thailand has been plagued by an brutal Islamist insurgency in its southern provinces. The shadowy Islamist groups are seeking to break away from Thailand, and have received support from Jemaah Islamiyah, al Qaeda's affiliate in Southeast Asia.

Jemaah Islamiyah is known to have a network in Thailand. Hambali, the Jemaah Islamiyah operations chief who was close to Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, was captured in the city of Ayutthaya in 2003. He was thought to had been plotting attacks in Bangkok.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2012/01/us_warns_of_terror_threat_in_t.php

Related articles

• U.S. warns citizens of terrorist threat in Bangkok (cnn.com)
• You: US warns of terror threat in Bangkok (guardian.co.uk)
• US Embassy warns of terror threat in Bangkok (ibnlive.in.com)
• US Embassy In Thailand Tells Americans To Keep Low Profiles, Warns Of Terrorist Attacks (inquisitr.com)

Posted in: al Qaeda, Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Jemaah Islamiyah, Thailand