WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department said work was under way to confirm claims of an al-Qaida threat against U.S. interests in Israel.
"Our folks are working on our own to corroborate the information [from Israeli intelligence officials]," spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters Wednesday.
Shin Bet, the Israeli intelligence agency, said it had evidence to suggest al-Qaida was plotting attacks against the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and other U.S. interests in the region. The Jerusalem Post reported Wednesday three men were arrested in connection with the plot said to come from Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaida.
There was no statement from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv warning U.S. citizens of the risk of terrorism. The last travel advisory issued from the U.S. State Department on Israel was in June.
Threats emanating from Yemen last year prompted the United States and several of its allies to close or restrict access to embassies in the region.
Harf referred further questions to Israeli authorities.
"I just don't have anything independent on [the threat] to share," she said.
