The "travel alert" issued Sunday by the U.S. State Department that warns citizens to be aware of possible terrorist threats in Europe recognizes the ability of intelligence agencies to gather creditable information. It also underscores their inability to use that knowledge in a precise manner in many cases. Thus, the alert provides no specific information on possible targets. Rather, it urges travelers to be vigilant and cautious at popular tourist spots and transportation hubs. The information is helpful, but raises more questions than it answers for Americans already in Europe or about to embark on a trip there.
The alert issued Sunday is not the most severe the department issues. It is a level below a formal warning to avoid travel to a specific place. The current alert is based on information from a variety of intelligence sources. It outlines the possibility of a terrorist act in Europe - perhaps along the lines of the coordinated attack on multiple sites that claimed more than 165 lives in India in 2008. The worry is widespread. Britain issued a similar warning. The increased possibility of terrorist-inspired violence is a common concern across the globe.
German officials recently acknowledged they had information about possible al-Qaeda attacks in the United States and in Europe. In France, worry about terrorism is high, as evidenced by a recent evacuation of the Eiffel Tower and by the deployment of soldiers at two popular tourist sites in Paris. Italy and Germany already were on high alert. Such concern continues to expand.
On Monday, both Sweden and Japan cautioned citizens about travel to Europe. Even so, officials were careful to stress that the warnings were more cautionary than a response to a specific threat.
Patrick F. Kennedy, undersecretary of state for management, said Sunday that the U.S. advisory was issued to urge Americans to take "common-sense" precautions when traveling, not to discourage them from doing so. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Homeland Security Department said they currently have no indication that terrorists are targeting the United States or its citizens as part of a new threat against Europe. That does not mean, however, that U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad should ignore Sunday's alert .
A "creditable" threat is just that. A terrorist attack, if one comes, might have a specific target, but it is indiscriminate in the sense that anyone of any nationality that happens to be nearby may become a possible victim.
The U.S. alert, like similar warnings from other governments, is permits those who choose to travel to Europe and elsewhere to make informed decisions. It signals a willingness by the U.S. government to share, not hide, information in a way that conveys the seriousness of the situation without inducing unnecessary panic. The alert is a potent reminder that the world can be a perilous place. Forgetting that is to risk possible harm.