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U.S. and British embassies in Azerbaijan limit their operation supposedly due to raids against wahhabites â€“UPDATED 1

U.S. and British embassies in Azerbaijan limit their operation supposedly due to raids against wahhabites â€“<font color=red>UPDATED 1</font>

29 October 2007 12:12 (UTC +04:00)

The source said that the move comes because of operation against the armed wahhabites.
APA reports that the US and British embassies will be closed today.
The US embassy has issued a note to US expatriates in Baku, advising them of a specific security threat to their embassy in Azerbaijan. The reason behind this move is not released.
â€œWe remain in close contact with the embassy and national authorities,
and continue to take all precautions to ensure the safety of our people
and assets. However, as a precaution we have closed our offices in Landmark for today and advised staff to make alternative arrangements,â€ a security notification reads.
The expatriates have also been warned to be vigilant and immediately contact the security team in case of anything suspicious.
Jonathan Henick, the US embassy officer for public affairs, told APA that the embassy was ordered to take precaution measures and has limited operation today. He didnâ€™t say how long this will last. Jonathan Henick said he could tell nothing about the reason.
Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry press service officer Khazar Ibrahim told APA that the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan has no link to limitation of the embassiesâ€™ activities. He added that the matter is at the discretion of the National Security and Interior Ministries. â€œThe embassies say they have taken this move because of a security threat,â€ he added. /APA/