美使館警告 曼谷可能遭恐攻及CNN新聞

• 放大圖片美使館警告 曼谷可能遭恐攻

（法新社曼谷13日電） 美國駐泰國大使館今天警告，首都曼谷可能發生恐怖攻擊，目標是觀光客。大使館敦促美國公民到知名觀光景點時務必提高警覺。大使館在網站發布警訊說：「外國恐怖分子最近可能策動攻擊，目標是曼谷旅遊景點。」警訊說：「大使館呼籲，美國公民在大批西方遊客聚集的旅遊景點提高警覺。」（譯者：中央社王富民）
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/美使館警告-曼谷可能遭恐攻-110505670.html

Thailand arrests suspect amid terror warning

By the CNN Wire Staff

January 13, 2012 -- Updated 1157 GMT (1957 HKT)

Tourists visit a Buddhist temple in Bangkok. The U.S. has warned of possible terrorist attacks in the busy tourist areas of the city.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: Thai investigators arrest terror suspect
• 'Foreign terrorists' could be planning attacks 'in the near future,' the U.S. Embassy says
• U.S. citizens are urged to be careful in busy tourist areas of Bangkok

(CNN) -- Investigators in Thailand have arrested a a Lebanese terror suspect who tried to attack spots in Bangkok that are popular with Western tourists, the Thai government said Friday.
The United States, meanwhile, warned its citizens in Thailand on Friday of the possibility of imminent terrorist attacks in busy tourist areas of Bangkok.
The terror suspect is believed to belong to Hezbollah, the Shiite Muslim group active in Lebanon that the United States views as a terrorist organization.
The United States has passed information to Thai authorities that caused the Thai government to be on high alert and to look for suspects, said Thitima Chaisaeng, a spokeswoman for the Thai government. Neighboring countries received similar information, Chaisaeng said.
The U.S. Embassy statement spoke of "foreign terrorists" who may be planning attacks "in the near future."

"U.S. citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok," a statement on the website of the U.S. Embassy in
Bangkok said.

The embassy did not provide any further information on the source of the threat.
Thailand is a highly popular tourist destination and Bangkok serves as a major transport hub for the Southeast Asian region.

Thailand has undergone periods of unrest in recent years. It experienced a spate of political violence during anti-government demonstrations in 2010. And Muslim separatists in southern Thailand have long battled government forces in a country that is overwhelmingly Buddhist, with a number of bombings taking place last year.

The embassy said U.S. citizens should "maintain a heightened awareness when out in public," advising them to be on the lookout for unattended packages and bags in public places and other crowded areas.It also suggested that they "keep a low profile in public areas, particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists."

Fran Townsend, a national security analyst for CNN, reported that Thai officials at one of the airports serving Bangkok were conducting pat downs and bag searches on all passengers at the departure gate for U.S. air carriers on Sunday.
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/13/world/asia/thailand-terrorist-threat/index.html