US State Dept - disinformation?

[Brad Mayer]

This from Berlusconis' Italy, who planted neo-Nazi skinheads as 
"anarchists" in the Genoa protests, and who is the leading avatar of a holy 
war of "superior" Western Christian Civilization against "inferior" 
Islam.  It is now being uncritically circulated in some US media, such as 
the San Jose Mercury:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Italy

                     October 2, 2001

As stated in the Department of State's Worldwide Caution
dated September 28, 2001, U.S. citizens and interests abroad
continue to be at increased risk of terrorist actions from
extremist groups. The Department has received information
that "symbols of American capitalism" in Italy may be targeted
for attack in the next month. We will provide updated
information should it become available.

U.S. citizens are urged to maintain a high level of vigilance and
to increase their security awareness. American citizens are
also urged to avoid contact with any suspicious, unfamiliar
objects, and to report the presence of the objects to local
authorities.

American citizens may contact the American Citizens
Services unit of the U.S. Embassy in Rome or the nearest
Consulate by telephone for up-to-date information on security
conditions in Italy. For further information regarding travel to
Italy, please consult the Department of State's latest Consular
Information Sheet for Italy, which is available on the Internet at
http://travel.state.gov, and the U.S. Mission Italy web page at
http://www.usembassy.it (click on "embassy and consulates").

The U.S. Embassy in Rome is located at Via Veneto 119a,
telephone (24 hours)(39) 06-46741, fax (39) 06-4674-2217.
The U.S. Consulates are located in the following Italian
cities:Florence, at Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci 38. Tel:
39-055-239-8276/7/8/9, or39-055-217-605; fax:
39-055-284-088.Milan, at Via Principe Amedeo 2/10. Tel:
39-02-290-351 and fax: 39-02-290-35-273. Naples, at Piazza
della Repubblica. Tel: 39-081-583-8111 and fax:
39-081-761-1804.

In light of recent events in the United States, Americans
traveling and residing abroad should monitor closely the
Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov,
particularly the Department's Worldwide Caution, when
considering travel abroad.

This Public Announcement is being issued to update U.S.
citizens to concerns about safety and security of Americans
and American interests in Italy. This Public Announcement
expires on January 6, 2002.