US says it will co-operate with Ghana on terrorism

Accra, June 24, GNA - Officials at American facilities in Ghana said on Thursday that they will continue to co-operate closely with the government to help prevent terrorist attacks on American and Ghanaian citizens.

Speaking to the GNA, Mr Bruce Lohof, Information Officer at the US Information Service, said his outfit has appreciated such co-operation that has served in the mutual interest of both countries over the years.

Armed military personnel have beefed up security at US installations following reported threats of terrorist attacks against US interests in Ghana.

Mr Lohof confirmed that his home government has seen a pattern of activity indicating continuing planning for terrorist attacks by members of Usama Bin Ladin's network.

However, he said, the American government had no specific information about the timing or location of such attacks.

"We have no comments on such speculation," Mr Lohof said, when asked to comment on a recent CNN report that mentioned Ghana and other African countries as specific targets.

There have been sporadic reports of planned attacks on American installations in Africa since the bombing of U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, last year, which claimed hundreds of lives.

Mr Lohof, quoting US Secretary of State Madeline Albright, said although specific countries have been the target of the terrorists, it is an issue of attack against Africa and not only those countries.

He said since the bombing of facilities in the two east African countries last year, his office in co-operation with the government, has adopted some measures to prevent any such attacks in Ghana.

Mr Lehof said for the first time, the authorities this week deployed armed military personnel in addition to police guards around American facilities in the capital.

Mr Lohof said the presence of police and military personnel this time round was at the instance of America but added that it has nothing to do with the CNN report.

"Rather it should be seen as a continuing effort between us and the government to prevent the attacks."

Reacting to the CNN report, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday said the story, attributed to the U.S. State Department, came as a surprise to Ghana.

This is because in the context of the existing cordial relations between the two countries, a framework exists to address matters of security concern to the governments of the two countries.

The ministry said it is, therefore, unfortunate for the U.S. State Department to make such announcement that has the effect of undermining the image of peace and stability as well as the goodwill that Ghana enjoys in the international community.

Commenting on the Ministry's statement, Mr Lohof said it was unfortunate that the media attributed its report to the State Department while the department was not the source of the story.

"The American government read about the planned attack in the media at the same time as we also heard it over here," the Information Officer explained.

He said the Embassy has responded to the statement and the two sides understood the situation and have further re-established the need to co-operate to protect citizens.