Dubai: Extending Sunday’s closure of the United States embassy in Abu Dhabi until August 10 makes sense given continued security concerns at a time when offices would be closed for Ramadan and Eid holidays, say security experts.
Those seeking to renew passports or apply for visit visas can expect delays but given the holiday period, delays were going to happen anyway, said one observer.
Abu Dhabi will remain closed, along with 19 other US missions, following security intelligence reports that indicated a strong possibility of attacks against Western facilities in Muslim-majority countries from the Middle East to Asia.
“It was a short week anyway, so I don’t think it is going to be a huge problem,” said Dr Theodore Karasik, director of research and consultancy at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, based in Dubai. “The issue is whether this continues to the end of August.”
Karasik added that potential threats against Western interests have led to a State Department warning to the end of August. “The US is taking an abundance of caution to try and mitigate any attempts,” he said.
The US government closed the Abu Dhabi embassy and 20 other posts last Sunday based upon reports that an Al Qaida affiliate was preparing an imminent attack. No specific location was given.
Some of the security concerns by the US also stem from recent prison breaks in Iraq, Libya and Pakistan by individuals deemed a security risk, he said.
“This is being fed into the matrix to determine how serious this is,” Karasik said.
Jen Psaki, a US Department of State spokeswoman, said taking extra steps at a time when the missions would close for the holy month and Eid is a decision that fits the timing of the region.
“Given that a number of our embassies and consulates were going to be closed in accordance with local custom and practice for the bulk of the week for the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan, and out of an abundance of caution, we’ve decided to extend the closure of several embassies and consulates including a small number of additional posts,” said Psaki in a statement.
Psaki said US officials decided to lengthen the closure based upon the original threat of an attack as identified by intelligence reports, not new information.
