Terror Alerts in Europe
There’s a great deal of nervousness in Europe about the possibility of a Mumbai-type terrorist attack.
Concern that al-Qaeda is plotting to send gunmen to the streets of major European cities for commando-style raids has prompted warnings from the British Foreign Office and the American State Department.
The Foreign Office warned tourists that there was a ‘high threat’ of attacks in countries including France and Germany, rather than the ‘general threat’ previously identified. The UK’s threat level, as set by the Home Office, remains ‘severe’.
The US alert noted ‘the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure’. The warning did not advise Americans against travelling to Europe, but to take care while in tourist areas.
France in particular is on red alert, with thousands of police and soldiers deployed. The Eiffel Tower in Paris was evacuated twice last month on bomb threats that turned out to be false.
by Andy Moreton
