Washington: The White House has warned the terror alert which forced US embassy closures across the Middle East and Africa could continue for another four weeks as it revealed its intelligence indicated an ongoing threat “from now until the end of August”.
The administration declined to elaborate on reports emerging that detail the way in which the NSA intercepted the alleged terror threat, believed to follow the interception of a telephone call between Al Qaeda leaders in Yemen and Pakistan.
Congressional leaders briefed by the administration say the intelligence stems from Al Qaeda communications intercepted in Yemen by the National Security Agency, but White House spokesman Jay Carney distanced himself from those linking the scare to recent debates about the agency’s surveillance power in the US.
The White House and State Department also both sought to downplay the impact of the shutdown on the effectiveness of US diplomacy in the region, stressing the embassy closures should not be seen as indefinite.
“This is a temporary measure and it is out of an abundance of caution,” said Carney. “We are engaged around the world and that engagement creates some risk. This decision is designed to reduce that risk but our engagement will continue.”
In contrast to NSA supporters who have been quick to link the surveillance debate with the current scare, the White House sought to downplay any political implications.
“I am not going to blend those two stories together,” added Carney. “We have a threat that we have advised the public about and we have a set of issues regarding the unauthorised disclosure of classified information that has led to a debate about the balance between protecting our security and maintaining privacy – I wouldn’t blend the two issues.”
The White House did however re-iterate its threat to boycott a planned bilateral summit with President Putin in Moscow in retaliation for its decision to grant temporary asylum to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
The Guardian
