Algeria: Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb Plans To Attack Planes in Algeria

Question: Why didn’t the U.S. Embassy in Algeria issue an Emergency Message about the threat to attack planes chartered by oil companies in Algeria?

Answer: The Department’s current travel warning for Algeria “warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Algeria.” When we deem a threat to U.S. citizen safety or security to be specific, credible and non-counterable, we issue an Emergency Message. If a specific, credible threat is targeted to an identifiable group or individual, as was the case in this instance, then we will notify only that group or individual of the threat.