‘No credible threat to Americans in SA’

State Security spokesperson Brian Dube File picture: Jeffrey Abrahams

State Security spokesperson Brian Dube File picture: Jeffrey Abrahams

Published Sep 9, 2015

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Johannesburg - South African intelligence and law enforcement agencies said on Wednesday that they had identified no “credible, imminent” terrorist threat to US interests in SA, despite a warning from the US embassy.

State Security spokesperson Brian Dube said the SA agencies had received some information from the US government.

“Then we had to do our own analysis. We couldn’t identify a credible, imminent threat as they had indicated,” Dube said.

“Maybe this is due to a difference in the protocols on the way threats are identified and flagged.”

But Dube said that the SA agencies would continue to work with the US to evaluate the apparent threat.

“We clearly cannot afford to be complacent as terrorism is a global phenomenon.”

Radio 702 on Wednesday quoted Minister of State Security David Mahlobo as saying the US had provided the SA government with no specifics of the threat.

Earlier anonymous SA intelligence sources said they believed that the US had received information that somebody with a SA passport has been flagged as being a member of one of the violent and extremist Islamist groups IS, al-Shabaab or Boko Haram.

That had in turn pointed to a possible threat emanating from South Africa.

On Tuesday, the US embassy in Pretoria said the US had received “specific, credible, non-counterable threat information” that extremists might be targeting US interests in SA, including US government and business facilities.

That was why it had posted a security and emergency message to its citizens on the embassy website, embassy spokesperson Cindy Harvey said.

The statement – under the headline “Terrorist Threat to US Interests in South Africa”- said the embassy, “has received information that extremists may be targeting US interests in South Africa, to possibly include US Government facilities and other facilities identifiable with US business interests. There is no additional information as to timing or potential targeting.

“Review your personal security plans; remain aware and vigilant of your surroundings, including local events, monitor local news stations for updates and follow instructions from local authorities… Be vigilant and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security.”

Harvey declined to elaborate on the nature of the threat. She added that the State Department had “no higher priority than the protection of US citizens overseas. Security Messages do not reflect the nature of our bilateral relations with a country. They are part of our commitment to protect US citizens travelling and residing abroad,” she added, apparently anticipating that the South African government might not like the terrorist threat warning.

“The US government, as it does in any investigation into terrorist threats against American interests around the world, will cooperate with South African authorities,” Harvey said.

She advised US citizens in SA to enroll their plans on

The US embassy in Pretoria and its consulates in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town appeared to be operating normally on Tuesday after the security message was posted.

SA intelligence sources said they could not comment yet.

ANA

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