U.K. shuts Peru embassy over security fears

Britain said Tuesday it has closed its embassy in the Peruvian capital of Lima for two days because of security concerns.

The Foreign Office said the embassy would close Tuesday and Wednesday because of a “reported threat.” It said that the embassy would also close Thursday for New Year’s Day and that the situation would be reviewed afterward.

“You should be aware of the risk of indiscriminate attacks against civilian targets in public places throughout the world from global terrorism,” the Foreign Office said in a statement on its official Web site. “Due to a reported threat against the British Embassy in Lima, the Embassy will be closed on 30 and 31 December.”

The Foreign Office gave no further details of the nature of the threat, but said the security concerns were based on its own information, rather than media reports.

Officials did not say which group was behind the threat, but remnants of the once-powerful Shining Path, a violent guerrilla movement that follows a hardcore communist ideology, still operate in parts of Peru.

Subscribe to read this story ad-free

Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.