Jordan foils terrorist attempts against U.S., other embassies

Associated Press WriterAMMAN, Jordan (AP) -- Jordanian and Lebanese security authorities helped derail terrorist plots over the weekend against U.S., British, Jordanian and other embassies in Lebanon, government officials said Tuesday.

The officials declined to say who was behind the attempts, but suggested that it was a group linked to Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States.

A Lebanese security official denied the Jordanian account, saying the security situation in the country was stable. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.

However, Lebanese authorities in the last week stepped up security measures at diplomatic missions and interests of Western countries and those allied with the United States, apparently acting on information that they may be targeted.

The Jordanian officials would not elaborate on the steps Jordanian authorities took after receiving tips about the terrorist plots against American, British, Jordanian and other embassies in Beirut, the Lebanese capital.

One of the officials identified the group that had planned the reported attacks as Asbat al-Ansar, which is on a U.S. list of terrorist organizations believed linked to bin Laden. Al-Ansar is an Islamic extremist group believed to be based in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh in Lebanon.

Asbat al-Ansar officials, who went underground shortly after the U.S. military campaign began in Afghanistan, were not available for comment Tuesday.

Ad-Dustour, Jordan's second largest newspaper, quoted Jordanian Information Minister Saleh Qalab as saying, "Two days ago security authorities foiled terrorist plots against a number of our embassies abroad." He did not mention the other diplomatic missions.

The Jordanian officials confirmed Qalab's remarks.

On Tuesday, an armored personnel carrier was stationed outside the building housing the British Consulate and the Canadian Embassy outside Beirut. Security at the U.S. Embassy has always been tight. Embassy officials declined to comment on the Jordanian reports.

Earlier this week, officials in Washington speaking on condition of anonymity said four bombing attacks had been thwarted since Sept. 11 against U.S. sites in France, Turkey, Yemen and Belgium. No details were provided.

Jordan has been gathering information on bin Laden and his terrorist network since the early 1990s, when several Arabs who fought alongside Afghan guerrillas against the former Soviet Union returned to their homes in the Middle East.

Two years ago a group of Arab men plotted to carry out terror attacks against Americans and Israelis in hotels and tourist sites, using poison gas and explosives, during New Year's 2000 celebrations in Jordan. The plot was uncovered and foiled in November 1999.

Months later, bin Laden is said to have sent his terrorists after King Abdullah II and his family as they vacationed on a yacht in the Mediterranean off the coast of an unnamed European country.

Jordanian security evacuated the royal family when they were tipped that a motorboat laden with explosives was to slam into the royal yacht -- just like the attack on the USS Cole a year ago, in which 17 U.S. sailors had been killed.