After attacks, U.S. embassies authorized to close; several in Mideast shut down

WASHINGTON -- In response to the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, several U.S. embassies shut down Tuesday. The State Department urged embassies worldwide to take necessary security precautions.\nSeveral U.S. embassies in the Middle East decided to close indefinitely. The American Embassy in Japan opted not to open Wednesday, and the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela shut down at least through Wednesday and built concrete security barriers.\nIn Italy, the U.S. Embassy warned American tourists to be vigilant and take appropriate action to increase security and reduce their vulnerability.\nSecretary of State Colin Powell cut short a visit to Peru and was returning Tuesday to Washington. He was in Lima for an Organization of American States conference on democracy. Powell canceled a visit to Colombia planned for Tuesday.\nThe State Department gave embassies worldwide permission to shut down if they chose.\nIt was late Tuesday in the Middle East when the attacks occurred. In Cairo, Egypt, the U.S. Embassy decided to suspend nonessential operations at government facilities in Cairo and Alexandria on Wednesday, according to a message posted on the embassy Web site.\nThe embassy strongly recommended that Americans in Egypt keep travel to a minimum and avoid public places and large gatherings.\nEmbassies in Yemen, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates announced that as of Wednesday, they were closing indefinitely. The embassy in Qatar was undecided. The embassy in Saudi Arabia will remain open.\nThe U.S. Embassy in Kuwait was closing as a sign of mourning for the deaths of Tuesday's terror attacks, Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported.\nIn Zagreb, Croatia, the embassy said it was closing Wednesday "out of respect for the victims of the tragic terrorist incidents."\nThe U.S. Embassy in Sweden closed early Tuesday and was to remain closed to the public Wednesday. The downtown building and the ambassador's residence were cordoned off by Swedish riot police.\nIn Oslo, Norwegians left bouquets of flowers in a park near the U.S. Embassy.\nAbout 200 people gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen to lay flowers, candles and notes, including one that just said "Why?" in English, on the entrance steps.\n"The world has changed as of today," said Arne Melchior of the small Center Democratic Party at the rally.\nStine Wied, a 21-year-old music student, said she and her boyfriend came to show their support.\n"We wanted to show our sympathy because what happened is horrible," she said after leaving roses and lighting a candle.\nNATO and European Union institutions also took special security measures, including partial evacuations.\nThe Israeli Embassy in Washington closed for two to three hours after first evacuating nonessential staff.\nSpokesman Marc Regev said Israel has offered the U.S. government any technical help it needs from the Israeli Army, because "unfortunately, we have people with practical experience in pulling people out of bombed buildings"