December 11, 1999
Web posted at: 11:54 p.m. EST (0454 GMT)

In this story: Tenet: No doubt bin Laden planning attacks 'Variety of groups' prompted threat, sources say RELATED STORIES, SITES

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Clinton administration officials say the U.S. government has obtained "specific and credible information" that terrorist attacks are being planned against U.S. citizens and others traveling abroad from now through early January.

As a result, the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide caution Saturday for U.S. travelers for that time frame.

The department said the advisory was based on "credible information that terrorists are planning attacks specifically targeting American citizens during the period of time leading up to and through the beginning of the New Year and Ramadan events and celebrations."

The warning said, "American citizens traveling or residing abroad during the period are urged to review their security practices, to remain alert to the changing situation and to exercise caution. American citizens should avoid large crowds and gatherings, keep a low profile, and vary routes and times of all required travel."

	RESOURCES:
State Department Worldwide Caution

Rome and Jerusalem are hosting some of the world's largest millennium events, but the State Department's caution mentions no specific cities or countries.

"The information indicates that attacks could be planned for locations throughout the world where large gatherings and celebrations will be taking place," the advisory said.

Sources said, "Our immediate concern is for New Year's celebrations" in the Middle East but not necessarily limited to the Middle East.

Tenet: No doubt bin Laden planning attacks

Administration officials told CNN they thought the threat was credible and was primarily related to accused terrorist Osama bin Laden, whom they believe to have been behind the bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa last year.

Those attacks, which occurred virtually simultaneously at U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killed more than 200 people and put bin Laden on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list. The United States has offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest.

"This is bin Laden," one official told CNN. A worldwide caution was issued, officials add, since the presumed network of bin Laden is considered to be worldwide.

Former CIA Director George Tenet said, "There is not the slightest doubt that Osama bin Laden, his worldwide allies, and his sympathizers are planning further attacks against us."

Officials said the threat "originates from people whom we believe are members of the bin Laden network."

Another source said the threats "were from a credible organization, deemed capable of carrying out one or more attacks."

This official said "it would be a mistake" to remove bin Laden from the list of organizations capable of carrying out such attacks.

A senior official familiar with U.S. intelligence on the threats said bin Laden "was the place to start," and, "when we say credible threat you can connect the dots and say there are not many organizations left who could lead us to make a worldwide declaration."

Sources: 'Variety of groups' prompted threat

Sources also told CNN that the threat was not prompted by any one group, rather "a variety of groups."

Another source said there were numerous specific threats, but that to issue a warning specific to those areas would "in a sense defeat the purpose of our intelligence network, and they are numerous, so it was decided it was most prudent for both safety and operational reasons to issue a worldwide warning."

State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel, Correspondent David Ensor, White House Correspondents John King and Chris Black, and Reporter Kathleen Koch contributed to this report.

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