WASHINGTON – As the United States and Britain warned their citizens this weekend of an increased risk of terrorist attacks in Europe, the Canadian government issued its own, more subtle, caution.
The U.S. State Department issued a warning Sunday directed at American citizens travelling in Europe, without singling out any specific countries. The Obama administration said al-Qaida might target transport infrastructure.
Britain raised the terrorism threat level in its advice for citizens travelling to Germany and France to “high” from “general.” It left the threat level at home unchanged at “severe,” meaning an attack is highly likely, and said it agreed with the U.S. assessment for the continent as a whole.
For its part, Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said it was “closely monitoring” the security situation in Europe.
“Canadians should be aware of their surroundings at all times, monitor local news reports, follow the advice of local authorities, and take appropriate steps to ensure their personal security,” wrote department spokesperson Priya Sinha in a statement.
The warnings came after week in which a number of European officials had broadly confirmed media reports that new intelligence indicated possible attacks on the continent.
Western intelligence sources said militants in hideouts in northwest Pakistan had been plotting co-ordinated attacks on European cities, the plans apparently surviving setbacks from a September surge in drone strikes and an arrest.
The plot involved al-Qaida and allied militants, possibly including European citizens or residents, the sources said. In Washington, U.S. officials said Osama bin Laden and the top al-Qaida leadership were likely behind the plot.
Some security officials have drawn comparisons to the brazen Mumbai attacks in 2008, which targeted city landmarks including luxury hotels and a cafe and killed 166 people.
The U.S. State Department travel alert said public transportation systems and other tourism-related facilities could be targets, noting that past attacks had struck rail, airline and boat services.
“The State Department alerts U.S. citizens to the potential for terrorist attacks in Europe. Current information suggests that (al-Qaida) and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks,” it said.
“European governments have taken action to guard against a terrorist attack and some have spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions,” it added.
“You should take these threats seriously, but right now I feel very safe in Paris,” U.S. tourist Tom Steier said.
French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said France had taken the U.S. warning into account:
“The terrorist threat remains high in France . . . the alert level remains unchanged at red,” he said. That is the second highest level in France.
A spokesman for Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office declined to detail why the travel advice for France and Germany had been updated.
“Like other large European countries, they have a high threat of terrorism, which is reflected in our updated advice.”
A German security source on Wednesday said there were “increasing rumblings” about potential attacks but the German Interior Ministry said at the time there was no reason to raise the national alert level.
Sweden raised its terrorism threat level Friday, although it said it was still lower than in other European countries and an attack was not believed to be imminent.
With files from Postmedia News
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