Concerns over terrorism force U.S. to cancel 2 overseas July Fourth celebrations, State Department says

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The State Department announced Thursday the cancellation of two Independence Day celebrations, one in the Middle East and another in Europe, because of the threat of terrorism.

Officials say a reception at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, and a street fair in Brussels, Belgium, had been called off for "appropriate precautions," but did not release details of any specific threat.

"Should we receive information about a specific and credible threat, that information would be shared with all potentially affected," State Department spokesman Phil Reeker said.

Last week, the United States tightened security at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, citing "terrorist targeting" of the facility. A U.S. official said the warning was based on information about the activities of accused terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

"Each embassy, as you know, conducts its own security assessment, and an embassy like Amman may decide to hold or limit or cancel its July Fourth events," Reeker said. "And so that, in fact, it is the case."

Reeker said the decision to cancel the outdoor event in Brussels was made Thursday.

"It involved basically a street fair event with a tent on a closed-off street," Reeker said.

He said it was "standard practice" to send cables out to all U.S. posts at this time of year to urge a "careful review" of security and "to take appropriate security precautions."

The State Department Tuesday issued a worldwide travel warning to American citizens, and reminded Americans abroad to remain vigilant.

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