U.S. Closes Its Consulate in Casablanca a Day After Suicide Bombing Beside the Building

RABAT, Morocco Apr 15, 2007 (AP)— The U.S. closed its consulate in Casablanca indefinitely on Sunday to review security a day after a suicide bombing beside the building, the U.S. Embassy said.

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Does anyone have any more information on this? Any rumors about an estimated reopening date, etc?

The consulate calls it a temporary closing to revisit security measures. For whatever that is worth.

I wish they would give some sort of ballpark estimate. How long does it generally take to revisit security measures? A week? A month? Three months?

And all the backlog. Sheesh.

I'm sure they will have to form a committee, decide on its chair, lose themselves in meetings, ponderings, jesticulations, and debates, have several more meetings, attempt to reach an agreement, yadda yadda yadda... That word "indefinitely" would put ice in my veins. I pray they get regrouped quickly for all those still waiting. If not, be assured they'll move their dealings to another consulate if it goes long-term.

I'm sure there is some politicing behind the wording. How well is the Moroccan government working with American officials etc. There was a story in the NYT that suggested American's reaction to the recent events is an over reaction. Let's see how much support the DOS gives the consulate in keepingn the consulate closed. I doubt very much it will be a long time. The longer it takes, the more it is a sign that things are not going well in the diplomatic sense. Well thats my take on it,

Well what does it mean for you Guys and the Visa's in Morocco??? And the Interviews scheduled?

it seems hard to believe that they would close it indefinitely. i'm sure they will reopen soon!

I would think that they'll all be postponed.

My BIL's tourist visa interview was supposed to be on Monday, and there's been no contact with a new date. I hope they don't do that to people who have their fiance or spousal visa interviews.




Indefinitely doesn't mean forever, it just means that it's temporary but they can't say how long...

They may not want to announce a firm date, so they can be flexible when they learn more about the suicide bombers.

As jenn wisely observed, "indefinite" just means "without a definite end" here, not "permanently."

What is "soon"?

It doesn't sound like less than a week.

It sounds like months.

That is "soon" compared to many things.

Insh'Allah I am just being overdramatic, but I am really worried.

BT

I hope you're being dramatic too, BT. I know I would be very worried if we were waiting for an interview now. I'm feeling for you guys right now. Hang in there. Hopefully this can get resolved quickly.

argh this is bad....may 2nd isn't very far away our petition went so quickly my fiance had to pay extra to get all his papers/passport extra fast. poor guy.

i hope this works itself out really soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me too . . . for all of you going thru Casablanca, that is. It doesn't impact me at all, but I just can''t imagine having to delay for weeks a day that I have been anticipating for so long!!!

Insha'allah, this will be resolved soon.

I have a big paper due next week, this class is almost over and she still hasn't given us the midterm. And now I don't really care. It was hard enough to care when things were 100% normal. I didn't go to class yesterday, maybe she handed out the midterm then (it is a take home essay test).

I'm afraid I'll have a lot of time to cross stitch. I was going to leave out the last 12 rows in the sky (18 inches across, a boring black and dark blue of a stormy sky), but now I think I'll do it anyway just to keep my hands busy.

BT

if it isn't open for our 5/2 interview i think i will die. ok..not really...but oh my! i dont think they give a time frame for security measures while they are re-evaluating. i am hoping tings settle down within the next week so that we can have our interviews on time. with all this at hand, i think i am going to change the wedding date just to be on the safe side. i think that if the interviews get delayed i will have to go for a visit bc i jsut want to be with my man already.

I hope they don't have to move the consulate or the people going through it to another country. If so, just pray it isn't Egypt.

Here's wishing all those going through Casa the best of luck with this.

How your fiance/SO handling this, people?

My fiance isn't too concerned, or maybe he is only trying to be the strong one. "I'm sure they will be open again soon." Is yours calm like that too? I suppose it is too soon to get upset, and it would be harder for me if he affirmed my idea that "indefinite" can be a very looooong time. He thinks it will only be a week or so. Insh'Allah.

BT

Mohammed is telling me that everything has it's time and this is part of our destiny to wait. He says that they will reopen soon....I hate that calm crap. I am not calm I am freaking out. Not just about them closing, but my families safety there.AAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

ugh why can't they just do the interviews at the embassy in rabat instead?!

my fiance didn't seem too concerned about the consulate closing. there's nothing we can do but wait anyway...lets just hope it opens soon and everyone is safe and secure!

I'm in denial (as usual) thinking that everything will be OK... eventually. My husband - we only talked last week before the crap around the Consulate but after some of the stuff already was happening. He was calm, now I can't reach him on another cell, he got them mixed up, and I just can't get connected!

NO computer and I doubt, he'd check anything in cyber be4 i'm there.

I think, this would blow over, so to speak. This freaking process has made me soooooo patient!!!! i hate it!
So, from somebody who's going over to see her hubby for SECOND!!! wedding anniversary - CALM DOWN, girls (and boys)!

And yes, there's time for everything. I hope, I'll be still alive for the happy times too! I had a living hell with the x, now this process. If there's next time, i'm afraid, i'd have to take too many prescriptions that i had to reserve due to this process with me on the plane. (Get my frustration?)

Now, repeat after me: "EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL RIGHT!". You don't want to end up going through the airport like me with a separate baggie with your prescription meds, right?

ONe more thing, don't get offended for whatever reason, at least for the reason that I wont' be online soon!

But seriously, it's going to be OK!

Your Mohamed sounds like my Mohamed....it will happen when Allah wants. Meanwhile I would be freaking out like a mad woman.

Exactly....when Allah wants that it will be....Im not real good at waiting anyway...and waiting for something this important then some idiots are over there blowing up my chances of being with the man I love....Mohammed has told me to quit reading the news because I spaz...