U.S. Issues a Terrorism Alert for Travel in Europe

U.S. Issues a Terrorism Alert for Travel in Europe
By SCOTT SHANE
Copyright by The New York Times
Published: October 3, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/world/europe/04security.html?hp


The State Department issued an alert on Sunday urging Americans traveling to Europe to be vigilant about possible terrorist attacks, naming Al Qaeda as one source of the concern. The British government, meanwhile, raised the threat of terrorism to "high" from "general" for Britons in France and Germany.

The decisions to caution travelers come as counterterrorism officials in Europe and the United States assess intelligence about possible plots originating in Pakistan and North Africa aimed at Britain, France and Germany.

The United States travel alert does not discourage Americans from visiting Europe, a step American officials rejected in part because of concerns about the impact on tourism and student travel. A “travel alert” of the kind issued Sunday is considered to be far less disruptive than a “travel warning” that would advise Americans to stay away from certain high-threat areas.

The dilemma for authorities in both Europe and the United States is will be how best to inform the public of a threat that intelligence analysts believe is real but whose contours remain vague – “credible” but not “specific,” in agency jargon.

Officials in Britain, France and Germany all took note of the American alert and made no objection.

"We have noted the vigilance recommendations announced by the United States for Americans traveling in Europe, which are in line with the general recommendations we ourselves make to the French population," said a spokesman for the French foreign ministry, Bernard Valero, in a statement. The Eiffel Tower and some Paris train stations have been briefly evacuated in recent days in response to threats.

The British home secretary, Theresa May, also expressed support for the American alert. "As we have consistently made clear, we face a real and serious threat from terrorism," Ms. May said in a statement Sunday. "Our threat level remains at severe -- meaning that an attack is highly likely. We work closely with our international partners in countering terrorism and the U.S. advice is consistent with our assessment."

In Germany, the interior ministry said the State Department alert “should be looked at in the context of those risk indications that became known last week.”

“There is still no concrete evidence of imminent attacks in Germany,” the ministry added.

American intelligence officials said last week that they were pursuing reports of possible attacks against European cities, possibly imitating the devastating 2008 assault on Mumbai, in which simultaneous gun and bomb attacks on several locations resulted in widespread panic and at least 173 deaths.

Some information about the purported plot came from a German citizen of Afghan origin captured in Afghanistan in July. The German, said to be named Ahmed Sidiqi, 36, from Hamburg, had traveled to the Waziristan region of Pakistan and received firearms and explosives training, according to European officials who spoke of the investigation on condition of anonymity.

The officials said Mr. Sidiqi told investigators he had met in Pakistan with a top official of Al Qaeda who told him Osama bin Laden wanted attacks carried out in Europe.

In addition, the officials said, several British residents of Pakistani background were detained in Islamabad and Lahore recently and offered similar information, asserting that terrorist operatives were already in place in Europe. European and American intelligence analysts were working intensively to gauge the credibility of the claims.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, police in Italy arrested a man of Algerian origin near the central train station in Naples allegedly with a bomb-making kit, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday.

The 28-year-old man was being sought on a European arrest warrant and France would seek his extradition, the report said. The man, who was not identified, arrived in the southern Italian city in early September and visited two local mosques. Police kept him under surveillance for three days before making the arrest, ANSA reported.

The new alert comes as the Central Intelligence Agency is carrying out its most intensive assault to date on suspected terrorist hideouts in Pakistan using missiles fired from drone aircraft. A record 22 strikes were reported in September, and two more took place on Saturday, killing 16 people, according to Pakistani news reports.

The C.I.A.’s drone campaign has been stepped up in part in order to disrupt any plots originating in Pakistan’s tribal areas, where Mr. bin Laden and his closest allies are believed to operate. They also reflect American frustration with Pakistan’s reluctance to move aggressively against militants in the area.

The State Department alert urged Americans to “take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling.”

"Current information suggests that Al Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks. European governments have taken action to guard against a terrorist attack," the alert said.

The State Department advised travelers and Americans living in Europe to be on guard especially while using public transportation, a prime target of past plots.

“U.S. citizens are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure," the State Department said. "Terrorists have targeted and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation and maritime services."

Souad Mekhennet contributed reporting from Frankfurt, Steven Erlanger from Paris and Judy Dempsey from Berlin.