'Israeli officials abroad on alert due to terror threat'

Confidential memo shows Israeli security officials' concern that Jewish sites could become target of Iranian terror attack, ABC reports

Yitzhak Benhorin|Published: 02.04.12 , 10:56

WASHINGTON - Israel has raised the alert level at its consulates and embassies due to fears of an Iranian terror attack, ABC News reported Friday, citing a confidential document penned by the Israeli consulate in Philadelphia.

According to the letter, Israeli authorities are concerned that the Islamic Republic could target not only Israeli diplomatic missions but Jewish sites as well, including synagogues and schools.

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"We predict that the threat on our sites around the world will increase … on both our guarded sites and 'soft' sites," read a memo written by the head of security for the Consul General for the Mid-Atlantic States.

The escalation has registered while the discourse about a possible strike on Iran intensified. US and Israeli officials have said recently that the Jewish state is likely to attack Iran with the aim of curbing its reported nuclear arms development.

According to the report, Israel released a document warning that terrorists could be using fake Israeli passports to easily pass through security checks on their way to carry out attacks on Jewish sites.

Furthermore, the Israeli authorities abroad are readying for an escalation in anti-Israeli rallies. The official wrote that these protests are anticipated to take place in embassies, synagogues, restaurants and other sites, and could turn violent.

Law enforcement agencies in the US and Canada said that they are monitoring the related developments, and have bolstered security around Israeli government and community buildings.

Last month, the Azerbaijani media reported that security forces in the country arrested two citizen who planned to attack Jewish targets, including Israeli ambassador to Baku Michael Lotem. The two are suspected of receiving money, explosives and other weapons from an Iranian intelligence operative. Israeli officials estimate that the suspects indeed plotted to hurt the envoy.

Authorities in the US said in October that they have thwarted an attempt to assassinate Saudi Ambassador Adel Al-Jubeir – a plot that US Security Department sources have attribute to Tehran.