S. African gov't urged to take terror threats seriously

Terror threats in South Africa should be taken seriously as terror attacks could happen "anywhere", an expert said on Wednesday.

The fact that terror attacks have not happened in South Africa does not mean they would not happen, Martin Ewi, senior researcher at the South African Institute for Security Studies, said in an interview with Xinhua.

He was speaking after the South African government downplayed terror alerts issued by U.S. and British diplomatic missions in South Africa.

According to the warnings, terrorists would target shopping areas and malls frequented by U.S. and British tourists, especially in Johannesburg and Cape Town during the month of Ramadan.

South Africa's State Security Minister David Mahlobo said on Monday the government notes the alerts but there is no need to panic.

Ewi said terror attacks in some African countries like Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire which are not known for such acts show that terror attacks could happen anywhere.

"The world is in a state of war (with terrorism). The Islamic State has declared war and threatened to attack Western interests in any part of the world, and South Africa is not exempt from that," he said.

The threat should be taken seriously by the SA government and be verified by security agencies, he said.

He said terrorists usually use the Ramadan period to launch terror attacks. Ramadan is the holy month when Muslims spend the month, praying, fasting and having evening feasts. According to him, there have been 13 threat warnings in 13 countries so far this year.

The security expert, however, said people should not panic but exercise vigilance and continue with their daily lives. Endit