U.S. shuts S. Africa offices over security threat

The U.S. Embassy and other American government offices in South Africa were closed Tuesday due to an undisclosed security threat, a spokeswoman said.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Sharon Hudson-Dean said the decision to close all U.S. facilities, including the embassy in the South African capital Pretoria, was taken after information was received from the regional security office.

"Our current assumption is that we will open tomorrow," Hudson-Dean said, declining to discuss the information.

South African police were not immediately available for comment.

Somali rebels have vowed to avenge the killing last week of one of the continent's most wanted al-Qaida suspects in a raid by U.S. commandos, but there has been no previous link between Somali insurgents and South Africa.

Bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 killed 224 people and wounded thousands. South Africa, due to host the soccer World Cup finals next year, is not itself seen as a target for terrorists.

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In addition to the embassy in Pretoria, there are U.S. consulates in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

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A spokeswoman for the British High Commission said it had not been informed of anything.

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