World in brief

New terror warning issued in Bahrain

MANAMA, Bahrain - In the third recent warning by the United States that terrorist attacks on Americans may be imminent in this small and historically placid country, the State Department on Saturday authorized what it called the voluntary departure of its employees' families as well as nonemergency personnel at the U.S. Embassy.

The action follows an order by the Pentagon on Friday to pull out the families of defense personnel and other employees at a major base here that supports the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which operates in the Persian Gulf. On Thursday, the State Department advised Americans not to travel to Bahrain and suggested that residents leave because of the threat of terrorist attacks.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Indonesia's young democracy held its first direct presidential election today, with polls showing incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri in danger of failing to make an expected runoff between the top two finishers in a field of five candidates.

Opinion surveys released last week gave a former chief security minister, Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a lead of more than 20 percent over his nearest rivals but slightly less than the 50 percent-plus threshold needed for an outright victory. A runoff between the top two finishers would be Sept. 20.

PARIS - Libyan forces have discovered a terrorist camp with ties to al-Qaida in the country's southern desert, a French newspaper reported Sunday. The report did not say whether the camp was active or abandoned when it was found June 24.

The newspaper, Le Journal du Dimanche, quoted European antiterrorism officials as saying that the camp, thought to be used by the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, was near the border with Chad, not far from the region where Chadian rebel forces are holding one of the terrorist group's most senior members, Amari Saifi, known as Al Para.

The Salafist Group is North Africa's largest, best-organized and wealthiest terrorist organization. Its goal is to establish an Islamic state in Algeria.

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