The U.S. Warns Its Citizens About Potential Terrorist Attacks in Europe

On Thursday, the U.S. State Department updated its security recommendations for citizens planning to travel to the European Union, warning of increased terrorist threats during the Christmas and New Year period. According to a report by Agence France-Presse, the latest travel advisory from the U.S. State Department references last year's attack on a Christmas market in Berlin and an attack on a nightclub in Istanbul on the first day of 2017. In the Berlin attack, a jihadist drove a truck into a Christmas market, killing 12 people, and a few days later, the Istanbul nightclub attack left 39 dead. The U.S. State Department's statement also emphasized recent attacks in the UK, Finland, Russia, Spain, and Sweden, indicating that both al-Qaeda and ISIS remain active and capable of such attacks. The statement notes that while local governments continue their counter-terrorism operations, the U.S. State Department remains concerned about the possibility of future terrorist attacks. The U.S. State Department stressed that 'American citizens should always be aware of the possibility of attacks carried out by terrorist sympathizers and lone extremists without prior warning.' Agence France-Presse reminded that the U.S. government has long warned its citizens to be vigilant about extremist attacks in European cities and has specifically cautioned about potential risks associated with attending public festivals in recent years.