Tokyo, Nov 18: Alarmed by threats purportedly made by the al-Qaeda terrorist network to attack US allies, the Japanese government has issued an alert for citizens traveling or living abroad. Yesterday's alert was the latest in a series of travel advisories issued by the foreign ministry. A previous alert was issued October 28 after a videotape purportedly by Osama Bin Laden threatened suicide attacks on the United States and the countries supporting the American occupation of Iraq, including Japan, Britain, Spain, Australia, Poland And Italy.

Japan was among the first to back the US-led war against Iraq, and is considering a dispatch of troops to help with reconstruction. But the government has largely waffled on such plans fearing an escalation of violence in the region.

The ministry's latest alert was issued after two London-based Arabic-language newspapers received separate statements over the weekend threatening car bomb attacks against the United States, Britain, Italy, Australia and Japan. In a travel advisory posted on the foreign ministry web site yesterday, the ministry urged Japanese tourists and residents to use "utmost caution".

"In light of the statement purportedly by al-Qaeda threatening terror attacks, please obtain the latest information, stay away from facilities that are likely to become terror targets, use caution in crowded places and pay attention to what's around you to avoid possible terror attacks or any other trouble," it said. Bureau Report