Security concerns close U.S. embassy in Rome

From CNN's Rome bureau chief Gail Young, State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel and State Department Producer Elise Labott

ROME, Italy (CNN) -- The U.S. ambassador to Italy closed the U.S. embassy in Rome and consulates in Naples, Milan and the Vatican to the public on Friday morning, citing security concerns.

Ambassador Thomas Foglietta ordered the embassy, in an old palace in Rome's fashionable Via Veneto, shut at 10:30 a.m. local time, said spokesman Ian Kelly.

He would not specify what type of threat it was nor where it originated.

Senior State Department officials told CNN there were a number of threats throughout the country "to several different facilities, including the U.S. embassy in Rome" on Thursday.

One senior official said security personnel were "unable to analyse the veracity" of the threats, which led the department and U.S. officials in Rome to close the posts.

The official said he saw "no direct relation" between the threats and Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network, which has been linked to terrorist attacks on U.S. embassies, or to the instability in the Middle East, but that he "can't rule it out."

"Why Italy, who are these people?" he asked. "It is unclear the width and breadth of this ... we are working on a clearer picture."

State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said the embassy would be closed as usual for the weekend.

During that time, "they will assess whether the embassy will reopen to the public on Monday," said Boucher.

Kelly said a some staff, including Marine guards, telephone operators and other personnel would remain at the embassy.

The Italian news agency ANSA quoted Italian authorities as saying the information regarding the threat came from outside the U.S.

Kelly said the decision by Foglietta to close the embassy was "not unprecedented."

Rocket-propelled grenades were shot at the compound from a hotel across the street in June 1987, blowing out windows but causing no major injuries, said CNN's Elisa Gambino, who was working there at the time.

The State Department on Friday re-issued a worldwide caution for Americans abroad, citing a "possibility for terrorists actions against United States citizens and interests throughout the world."

The caution urged U.S. citizens to keep a low profile and to "maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness," including varying routes and times of travel, avoiding contact with unfamiliar people and treating mail with suspicion.

State Department officials said the worldwide caution was issued merely to replace an existing warning, which expired this weekend.

But they add that a number of "security situations" over the last month have proven that "threat hasn't expired."

A number of posts, including Indonesia, Doha and Turkey, closed temporarily during the past four weeks due to threats to U.S. facilities and American citizens.

U.S. Embassy in Italy

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.