US Department of Foreign Affairs warns against European travel

Terrorist threat, Paris, Photo: Pixabay

Terrorist threats

 

The United States Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has issued a warning to Americans who either live in, or travel to Europe, about terrorist threats on the continent this summer.

In the updated travel advice put out on Monday. The department referred to events in France, Russia, Sweden and the UK. DFA states that they are concerned about possible terrorist attacks in the future.

According to the DFA, extremist groups such as ISIL, al-Qaeda and their supporters are able to plan and carry out attacks in Europe.

American citizens have been told to pay extra attention at major high profile events, especially in the summer season. Malls, airports and other public transports, public buildings and restaurants are identified as the most obvious possible attack targets.

175 people of all nationalities were killed by terrorism in Europe in 2015, according to the Global Terrorism Database (GTD), the last year for which figures are verified.

Police shootings

1092 died in the USA in 2016 after being shot dead by police, according to a counting system developed by the Guardian newspaper. Of the latter, approximately half were later found to be innocent of any crime.

These figures show that the chances of an innocent person being shot dead by police officers in the USA in 2016 were approximately three times higher than being killed by a terrorist attack in the whole of Europe.

According to the GTD, 1988 was the most violent year in Western Europe, when 270 people died in the attack on a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie in Scotland. Libya was found responsible of that attack.

The previous terror warning on Europe from the Department of Foreign Affairs was released on November the 21st last year and expired on the 20th of February. The new warning is valid until September 1st this year.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today