US State Department Travel Alert/Warning

Editor's Note: Before traveling, we generally check the State Department website for alerts about political situations, health conditions regarding outbreaks and persistent health problems, and terrorism. This most recent State Department Alert is serious enough to warrant putting on the website:

Bureau of Consular Affairs; Europe; October 3, 2010: The State Department alerts US citizens to the potential for terrorist attacks in Europe. Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks. European governments have taken action to guard against a terrorist attack and some have spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions.

Terrorists may elect to use a variety of means and weapons and target both official and private interests. US citizens are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure. Terrorists have targeted and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation and maritime services. US citizens should take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling.

We continue to work closely with our European allies on the threat from international terrorism, including al-Qa’ida. Information is routinely shared between the US and our key partners in order to disrupt terrorist plotting, identify and take action against potential operatives, and strengthen our defenses against potential threats.

We recommend US citizens register their travel plans with the Consular Section of the US Embassy through the State Department's travel registration website. Travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the US and Canada, or on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444 from elsewhere in the world.

For information on general crime and security issues, US citizens should also consult the Department of State's Country-Specific Information as well as the Worldwide Caution, which can be found on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website. For further information on safety tips while traveling abroad, U.S. citizens should also consult the following website: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/tips_1232.html

This Travel Alert expires on January 31, 2011.

Editor's Note: The UK's Foreign Office has also updated their information regarding travel advice for France and Germany. The United Kingdom's Home Secretary, Theresa May, was quoted in The Independent as saying:

"As we have consistently made clear, we face a real and serious threat from terrorism. Our threat level remains at severe - meaning that an attack is highly likely.

"I would urge the public to report any suspicious activity to the police in support of the efforts of our security services to discover, track and disrupt terrorist activity."

Mrs. May said the UK was working closely with international partners including the US on counter-terrorism, and its new guidance was "consistent with our assessment".

On October 4th, Japan's Foreign Ministry issued a statement quoted by The Guardian: n today's alert, Japan's foreign ministry made no mention of a specific country, but advised its citizens to be cautious when using public transport and visiting popular tourist sites.

An official at the ministry said the highly unusual warning was not prompted by any specific intelligence but by the previous British and American alerts.

"If an indiscriminate attack takes place in such a large region there is a very good chance that Japanese tourists could be involved, which is why we felt it was right to issue the warning," the official said.

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US State Department Travel Alert/Warning

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