U.S., Britain issue travel alerts for Europe
Attacks could be indiscriminate, U.K.’s Foreign Office warns
By William L. Watts, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch) — The United States on Sunday warned of the potential for terrorist attacks in Europe and urged travelers to be vigilant, while Britain upgraded its assessment of terror threats in Germany and France.
The alert issued by the State Department urged U.S. citizens traveling in Europe to “take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling.”
The department warned that “current information suggests that al Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks,” noting that European governments have taken action to guard against attack. Read the travel alert.
Britain’s Foreign Office, meanwhile, warned there is a “high threat” of terrorism in Germany and France, up from its previous warning of a “general threat.”
“Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers,” the Foreign Office assessment said.
Neither London nor Washington formally urged travelers to avoid traveling in Europe. The U.S. alert falls short of an official “travel warning,” which advises citizens not to undertake certain types of foreign travel.
U.S. officials said they were not advising Americans against traveling to Europe, but were urging vigilance
The U.S. alert followed a probe that started in August, when U.S. intelligence officials picked up nonspecific threat information from multiple sources, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The probe has prompted a search for a suspected hit team that may be planning a commando-style attack similar to the one seen in Mumbai, India, in 2008.
