December 12, 1999
Web posted at: 9:06 p.m. EST (0206 GMT)

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

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says there are safety threats to U.S. travelers abroad which prompted an official worldwide warning.

"We believe that it is important for American travelers to be very vigilant when they are abroad and to get in touch with American embassies and consulates there and also to try to avoid large crowds," Albright said.

"This is a special time because of a lot of people traveling, so we thought that it was important. There are threats, and so that's why we think that is responsible."

Her comments followed Saturday's warning from the State Department, which lasts through early January.

The warning says, "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."

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Arizona), a member of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, reacted to the warning Sunday on CNN's "Late Edition."

"I think we should be very concerned. I talked with a staff member of the Intelligence Committee this morning, who is convinced that the State Department's warning is based upon very specific and credible evidence that there could be a terrorist attack against Americans, particularly abroad," he said.

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."

	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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