US embassy in Phnom Penh receives terrorist threat

Khieu Sopheak, the spokesman of the ministry of interior on Tuesday confirmed that there was an attack threat against the US embassy.

"The threat was made through a message sent to a media company which informed the US embassy on the threat. The US embassy told the authority and we sent our forces to protect the embassy," the spokesman said.

"In addition, we also made an investigation and now we knew the identity of the suspect", he added.

He refused to give more detail about the suspect who made the threat against the US embassy.

During his visit to Koh Kong, Joseph Mussomelli, the US ambassador said that there was a threat which was made through an email sent to a media company which then informed the US embassy.

 "However, we should not pay too much too much attention to the threat as it doest not pose any security or safety threat to us", the US ambassador said. "We were not concerned about the threat", he added.

The ambassador said that In Cambodia, we feel confident about the security and safety to move around and for instance he came to Koh Kong without any bodyguard.

A police source said that after the authority was informed about the threat against the US embassy several hundreds of police and military police-both in uniform and civil clothes- were sent to protect the US embassy and the residence of the US ambassador. The armed forces were also deployed near the French and British embassies.

By Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper

Asia News Network