Home » News & Reports » News News and Reports US Official Says Intelligence Revealing Boko Haram Plot To Attack Luxury Hotels In Abuja Is Specific, Credible, And Non-counterable

2012 - 11:36

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QUESTION: On a separate issue, the Embassy in Abuja put out this morning about Boko Haram and threats to attack hotels. And the Nigerian Government has reacted rather unhappily to this warning, saying that it just fans panic. Did you guys run this by the Nigerians before you put it out? What sort of information was it based on? Can you tell us?
MR. TONER: Yeah. In response to your question about whether we ran this by the Government of Nigeria, I don’t know that we would be obliged to do so. I don’t know if we did in this case. We did receive, however, information that Boko Haram may be planning attacks in Abuja, Nigeria, as you said, against hotels frequently visited by Westerners. We don’t have any additional information regarding the timing of these attacks. But as you know, in accordance with the Department’s no double standard policy, when we deem a threat to any U.S. citizen – safety – rather a threat to a U.S. citizen’s safety or security to be specific, credible, and non-counterable, we do issue these kinds of emergency messages.
QUESTION: Specific, credible, and what?
MR. TONER: Non-counterable, meaning we can’t find any evidence to refute it.
QUESTION: Or non-counterable, meaning it can’t be stopped?
MR. TONER: No. Non-counterable meaning we can’t find any readily available evidence to dispute it.
QUESTION: And you can’t be any more specific?
MR. TONER: I can’t at this – no.
QUESTION: Because --
MR. TONER: Because I don’t know that we have any other information beyond what I just said, which is that – attacks against hotels frequented by Westerners. I’m sorry.
QUESTION: Well, no, I – the source of this information I think it was what the question was.
MR. TONER: I can’t. We don’t comment on the source of our threat information.
QUESTION: Well, do you regard it – you believe it to be specific and credible?
MR. TONER: Yes.
QUESTION: Like, so what you said?
MR. TONER: Yes. What I said.
QUESTION: Specific, credible, and non-counterable?
MR. TONER: Yeah.
QUESTION: On India (inaudible) --
MR. TONER: And I also asked what non-counterable meant, and I think that’s the explanation I was given. If that’s wrong, I’ll let you guys know.