My wife, who is an American citizen, received a message from the American embassy, which contained this ominous warning:
Al-Qaida and its associated organizations have struck in the Middle East, Europe, and in Turkey. Previous statements by the Al-Qaida leadership view Israel as a desirable target. Islamic extremists continue to voice strong anti-Israeli sentiment that could lead to future attacks. It is reasonable to deduce that the Arabian Peninsula and Israel could be a venue for the next round of attacks. Homeland Security expects Al-Qaida will strive for new attacks designed to be more devastating than the September 11 attack, possibly involving non-conventional weapons such as chemical or biological agents.
Scary stuff. But c’mon guys! Don’t you think the following is a bit too cautious?
American citizens in Israel, Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza should avoid locations, to the extent possible, such as restaurants and cafes, shopping areas and malls, pedestrian zones, public buses and bus stops, or other crowded venues and the areas around them.
What does that leave? Should US citizens just stay in their homes?