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| American Officials Warn of Possible Attack in Turkish Border Town | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ISTANBUL — American officials in Turkey are warning that extremist groups might be planning an attack on the offices of the Western-backed Syrian political opposition group in Gaziantep, a town on Turkey’s border with Syria. | |
| The statement, issued Wednesday by the United States Embassy in Ankara, did not name the supposed planners of the attack, including the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, which has been active in recent months along Turkey’s 560 miles of border with Syria. But it did specify the building that might be the target. | |
| “The U.S. Embassy has received reports that extremist groups may be planning an attack against the Syrian Interim Government building,” in Gaziantep’s central city, the statement said. | “The U.S. Embassy has received reports that extremist groups may be planning an attack against the Syrian Interim Government building,” in Gaziantep’s central city, the statement said. |
| “We remind U.S. citizens that the situation in southeast Turkey, while usually calm, can change without warning and U.S. citizens should avoid traveling in areas close to the Syrian border,” it said. | “We remind U.S. citizens that the situation in southeast Turkey, while usually calm, can change without warning and U.S. citizens should avoid traveling in areas close to the Syrian border,” it said. |
| The Syrian Interim Government represents the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, an umbrella opposition group with international recognition, and receives logistical support from the governing pro-Islamic Justice and Development Party in Turkey in coordinating efforts to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. | The Syrian Interim Government represents the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, an umbrella opposition group with international recognition, and receives logistical support from the governing pro-Islamic Justice and Development Party in Turkey in coordinating efforts to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. |
| The warning came as journalists and members of international organizations based in southeastern Turkey were on alert after news reports claimed that Islamic State militants would try to kidnap foreign nationals and take them across the border into Syria. | The warning came as journalists and members of international organizations based in southeastern Turkey were on alert after news reports claimed that Islamic State militants would try to kidnap foreign nationals and take them across the border into Syria. |
| “Our country specific information sheet notes that U.S. citizens should take precaution in any meetings with individuals claiming to represent or be affiliated with anyone involved in the Syrian conflict,” the statement said. | “Our country specific information sheet notes that U.S. citizens should take precaution in any meetings with individuals claiming to represent or be affiliated with anyone involved in the Syrian conflict,” the statement said. |
| For some terror analysts, the warning highlighted the gravity of the threat posed by Islamic State. | For some terror analysts, the warning highlighted the gravity of the threat posed by Islamic State. |
| “This cannot be rated as a regular and ordinary warning,” said Nihat Ali Ozcan, an analyst at the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey in Ankara. “The U.S. has an active intelligence operation along Turkey’s borders, and they must have gathered information that pointed at risks that are impossible to dismiss.” | “This cannot be rated as a regular and ordinary warning,” said Nihat Ali Ozcan, an analyst at the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey in Ankara. “The U.S. has an active intelligence operation along Turkey’s borders, and they must have gathered information that pointed at risks that are impossible to dismiss.” |