| TERRORISM | |
| 12-14 | Worldwide Caution / Nature of the Threats / Reference to Ramaddan |
| 15-16,17 | As Pertains to the Middle East & MEPP |
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QUESTION: I wanted to see if we could talk about that, the Worldwide Announcement that you put out over the weekend. You cite a - you use the adjective "credible" and you also say that there are threats that are specifically targeting Americans and, but yet what you sort of suggest for Americans to do is the same sort of language, you know, vary your routes, keep a low profile -- you know, that sort of thing which appears in a lot of travel warnings and a lot of sort of similar announcements.
And I wonder if you can sort of elaborate on what is it, given that there is a credible threat that's specifically against Americans, which you all refuse to say where specifically it is, what is it that you want Americans to do given this sort of millennial threat?
MR. FOLEY: Well, our recommendation to Americans is explicitly contained in the public announcement that we issued on Saturday afternoon, so I will quote from that for you. It is, as you know, our obligation when we become aware of information that may impact on the travel and the safety of Americans, to share that with the public. It's an obligation. It's not even a question of discretion.
Mr. Berger yesterday indicated though, when asked specifically whether we were urging Americans not to travel overseas, he replied that that was not the case, that this was not a red light but this was a caution sign. That's precisely what this announcement seeks to do: to let Americans travelers know that the United States Government has information - specific and credible information - that terrorist groups have been planning terrorist actions against American citizens and that this is a worldwide threat and, therefore, we've issued this on a worldwide basis and that it is connected to the New Year celebrations and the Ramaddan period and that therefore Americans need to exercise caution -- here is where I'm going to quote - "to review their security practices, to remain alert to the changing situation and to avoid large crowds and gatherings, keep a low profile and vary routes and times of all required travel."
I think, as you acknowledge, we're not being specific about the exact nature of the threat because this is something which is under investigation; there are law enforcement efforts currently to work in response to the threat. So it's not possible to be more specific than we have been publicly. This does not mean to alarm Americans into not traveling; it does, though, because we've identified the threat, is related to the end-of-year period, to the New Year's celebrations, to the Ramaddan period, that it would be prudent to avoid large crowds and gatherings on the part of Americans and to consult, also, with our Embassy or our Consulate in any area they may be traveling because the Embassy and Consulate have up-to-date, real-time information on security conditions in given places and it's possible for American citizens to access this information on the Web and via telephone. And I have that information if you're interested. I know that this has been broadcast elsewhere, but our Internet address is www.state.gov. And it's possible to access the consular information on conditions in countries around the world.
QUESTION: On that - the reference to Ramaddan in the statement; the reference again today - when we put this out Saturday, we were questioned and it was hard to provide an answer. Why the reference to Ramaddan? We can make all sorts of inferences, but what does the State Department mean when it makes reference here to Ramaddan? And if I can throw in the other question quickly, you tell Americans to avoid crowds. I wonder how realistic that is in the holiday season? For instance, will the US Embassy not have its usual Christmas parties, gathering lots of people together to celebrate Christmas or the New Year? What is the US going to do about --
MR. FOLEY: Christmas parties are not the same as the July 4 national day celebrations where every American Embassy invites large numbers of people.
QUESTION: I know. But American overseas in a strange environment tend to gather on the holidays - have a party or some celebration. There are religious services; there are all sorts of things. This caused a considerable amount of alarm when this went out Saturday and much as we said, similar statements have been put out in October and November, last year, early this year.
MR. FOLEY: The announcement says that Americans should avoid large crowds and gatherings. It doesn't say that they shouldn't get together and celebrate Christmas. And I want to be clear about that.
QUESTION: (Inaudible).
MR. FOLEY: Well, you've come down on the --
QUESTION: I'm saying you can't -
MR. FOLEY: He asked the question.
QUESTION: (Inaudible.)
QUESTION: Well, you do the Ramaddan thing first? Why is it significant? You know, why --
MR. FOLEY: I know it's a good question and I know you want to know more. Unfortunately, because this is a real matter that is being investigated and pursued, we can can't be specific except to say that we do have specific information and we're working to counter it and the threat. And the information that we have does indicate that the potential attacks are related to end-of-year celebrations --
QUESTION: To the season?
MR. FOLEY: --during the New Year and the Ramaddan period. I can't be more specific than that.
QUESTION: I'm saying sincerely --
MR. FOLEY: I understand.
QUESTION: -- that Arab-Americans have raised questions why is the State Department making reference to Ramaddan?
MR. FOLEY: Because of the information that we have.
QUESTION: Jim, surely you realize that without providing any specific - even a little detail on sort of the nature of the threats - that you're being seen as being Grinch-like just for Grinch-like's sake. And so, I mean, perhaps you can suggest to the people upstairs that, you know, they might want to - in order, if they don't want people to take offense or get upset or be alarmed, which you say you don't want them to, then you might put out more information.
But my real question is, these same three things that are mentioned in this worldwide caution were also mentioned Thursday by the Secretary in Sharm el-Sheik when she said that because of the convergence of these four things - Hanukah, Christmas, Ramaddan and the millennium - all coming around the same time, that this was a great hope for peace. This is what she said.
Now two days later --
MR. FOLEY: What's your question?
QUESTION: -- you put out a caution saying that, you know, that there are terrorist threats. And I'm just wondering --
MR. FOLEY: What's your question?
QUESTION: Well, the question is what made - what was it that made her say that this was a great time of peace and then the Department comes out two days later and says, well, maybe it isn't a great time of peace; it's a time of threat.
MR. FOLEY: I think it's a given - you're talking completely about apples and oranges, I might add. It's a given that in a year - and this doesn't happen every year, as you know, because the lunar calendar governs the convergence of these celebrations - that this year, indeed, Christmas, Hanukah and Ramaddan are falling in the same period.
And at a time when the Secretary was in the Middle East, which is the cradle of the great Western religions that are celebrating these three celebrations at the very moment when we had the very welcome news after several years of stalemate of a breakthrough and a resumption in Israeli-Syrian negotiations. The prospect that we can glimpse, as hard is it going to be to achieve, of a real and comprehensive peace to englobe the entire Middle East, I think it is completely appropriate for the Secretary to have talked about the season of peace and the hopes for peace.
On the other hand, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to protect Americans, and if we have specific information about specific terrorist threats on the part of groups or organizations that don't care about religious observances of any of the three major Western religions and are planning attacks against American citizens, we have a responsibility no matter what the time of year is to bring that information to the attention of American citizens.
QUESTION: Well, one should not exempt, based on her comments, and think that the Middle East might necessarily be free of these threats because of her comments.
MR. FOLEY: If you read the public announcement, it's clear that our warning is to Americans around the world.
Anything more on this subject?
QUESTION: If the target is Americans, why does the warning not extend to large gatherings here in the United States?
MR. FOLEY: Again, what we said is based on the information we have and certainly I think law enforcement authorities in the United States, given past events here in recent years, have to and will be vigilant in regard to any terrorist threat or potential that there might be on US territory. But this information that we are sharing with the American public has to do with threats against Americans overseas.
Are we finished with this?
QUESTION: A few weeks ago or maybe just a week ago, either you or your colleague had said that there was a - that you had all observed an uptick in Iranian support for the enemies of the Middle East peace.
MR. FOLEY: Right.
QUESTION: And I wonder if we can draw a connection between this increased support for terrorist groups and your latest --
MR. FOLEY: I'm not going to be able to help you about the specifics of the information we have. I think we've indicated that there are a number of groups, terrorist groups, that we watch very closely in the world that are capable and have a disposition to undertake terrorist actions against the United States, against Americans, and we're vigilant in regard to all of them.
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(The briefing was concluded at 2:40 P.M.)
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