Western embassies in Jordan close for security reasons
Jordan-Regional, Politics, 1/9/2006

The two embassies of Canada and Australia in Jordan on Sunday decided to close their doors for security reasons.

A spokesman for the Australian embassy in Amman said that the embassy will remain closed until an undetermined time for security reasons. He added that reports indicate that terrorists mighty be in the final stages in preparing for attacks "targeting westerners and areas they visit in Jordan."

An Australian diplomat called on his citizens to take utmost cautious measures due to the "large threat from a terrorist attack."

On the other hand, a source at the Canadian embassy said that the "embassy will remain closed until an undetermined time." The embassy called on Canadian citizens to be careful in Jordan.

The decision of the two Canadian and Australian embassies in Jordan to close their doors came after 24 hours of a similar decision taken by the British embassy.

The British embassy in Amman justified closing its doors on Saturday until an undetermined time expecting being exposed to " a terrorist attack," as confirmed by the British foreign office.

The official spokesman for the Jordanian government Naser Joudeh said on Saturday that the " Jordanian government notified the British embassy in Amman of the threats it had received, and notified official sources that they do not need to close the embassy." He added that protection measures were reinforced around the embassy in Amman as part of the seriousness in reacting to the threat, "knowing that Jordan ensures necessary protection for all diplomatic crops accredited in Amman."

The British embassy warned that "terrorists might be in the last stages of preparations for attacks against westerners and areas visited by westerners."

Explosions which targeted hotels in Amman in November 2005 resulted in killing 60 persons and injuring other 100. Official statistics indicate that some 51,000 British visited Jordan in 2004.

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