Israel 'ramping up security at diplomatic missions in US'

Washington, Feb 16 (ANI): Security has been ramped up at Israeli diplomatic missions in the US in the wake of recent attacks on Israeli officials in New Delhi and Georgia, a former senior counterterrorism official has said.

The ex-counterterrorism official, who worked closely with Israeli military and security services, said the increased security includes embassies as well as personnel, after Israel's diplomatic employees were targeted at least twice in the last week overseas.

According to Fox News, the official, without elaborating much, said Israel also is taking steps "internally."

The Israelis claim to have information suggesting Tehran played a role in the series of plots, including attacks in India, Thailand and Georgia, the official said.

"There is no daylight between Israel's public statements and private view of the attacks. There is information that leads to Iran," the official added.

The ramping up of security came as the FBI and Homeland Security Department recently said in a jointly issued bulletin that the US government has no information suggesting Iran or its surrogates are targeting Jewish community in America.

"Threats against Israeli or Jewish targets in Asia and Europe, attacks on nuclear scientists in Iran, global economic sanctions against Iran, and reports of Israel"s "possible intent to attack Iran"s nuclear facilities" have "contributed to the perception of an increased threat to the Jewish community worldwide from Iran or its surrogates," the bulletin read.

"But, the US government has no specific information that Iran or its surrogates are targeting Jewish organizations, facilities, or personnel in the United States," it concluded. (ANI)