State Department issues worldwide travel alert surrounding 9/11 anniversary

The State Department is warning U.S. citizens traveling abroad about the continuing threat from al Qaeda and its affiliates.

“While we have not identified any specific threats from [al Queda] affiliates and allies to attack the United States or our interests on the 9/11 anniversary, U.S. citizens should be aware that [al Queda] affiliates and allies have demonstrated the intent and capability to carry out attacks against the United States and our interests around the world,” the State Department says in a travel alert. “In the past, terrorist organizations have on occasion planned their attacks to coincide with significant dates on the calendar.”

The travel warning echoes other statements from the government about security surrounding the anniversary of the 2001 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the United States is “at a heightened state of vigilance,” while reiterating that there is no specific evidence that al Qaeda is planning to launch an attack.

“While there is no specific or credible intelligence that al Qaeda or its affiliates are plotting attacks in the United States to coincide with the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, we remain at a heightened state of vigilance and security measures are in place to detect and prevent plots against the United States should they emerge,” Napolitano said Friday in a news release.

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