US Plans Travel Alert for Americans in Europe

It will ask them to be 'vigilant' because of terror threats
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 2, 2010 5:32 PM CDT
US Plans Travel Alert for Americans in Europe
Police officers stand by the Eiffel Tower, in Paris Tuesday Sept. 18, 2010.   (AP)

Threats about a terror attack in Europe are real enough that the State Department is expected to issue a "travel alert" tomorrow asking Americans to be wary about visiting tourist sites overseas. In the semantics of government-speak, it's expected to be a notch below a "warning"—meaning it won't tell Americans to stay away from specific European sites or countries, just advise them to be on their guard. "The bottom line is travel, but be vigilant," one State Department official tells the AP.

A warning of any kind along those lines is likely to deal a serious blow to tourism because of liability regulations, notes the Washington Post. Intelligence reports of late suggest al-Qaeda is planning Mumbai-style attacks in major European cities where Western tourists congregate. (More Europe stories.)

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