United Nations, May 09: The United Nations said it was taking steps to enhance security at its headquarters in New York. The United Nations has unveiled plans for a $21m security upgrade at its New York headquarters. The announcement follows threats made against UN Secretary General Kofi Annan other UN officials in a message purportedly from Osama Bin Laden. UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said: "We do take those tapes very seriously regardless of what the authenticity of that is. We are studying the matter and in consultation with the host country, the United States, we are taking steps to enhance the Secretary General's Security."
A suicide attack on the UN's headquarters in Baghdad in August killed 22 people, including the organisation's top official in the country.

Bureau Report