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Worldwide Caution
July 29, 2009
The Department of State has issued this Worldwide Caution to update information
on the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against American
citizens and interests throughout the world. In some countries, the worldwide
recession has contributed to political and economic instability and social
unrest. American citizens are reminded to maintain a high level of vigilance and
to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. This replaces
the Worldwide Caution dated February 2, 2009 to provide updated information on
security threats and terrorist activities worldwide.
The Department of State remains concerned about the continued threat of
terrorist attacks, demonstrations, and other violent actions against U.S.
citizens and interests overseas. Americans are reminded that demonstrations and
rioting can occur with little or no warning. Current information suggests that
al-Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against
U.S. interests in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the
Middle East. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics including
suicide operations, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings, and bombings. The
July 17 bombing of the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta,
Indonesia, where at least nine people were killed and six Americans were among
the 50 or more injured; the February 2009 kidnapping of an American UNHCR
official in Pakistan; the kidnapping of four European tourists in January on the
Mali-Niger border; the kidnapping of two Canadian diplomats in Niger in December
2008; and the kidnapping of NGO workers along the Kenya-Somali border in July
2009 all illustrate the continuing desire of extremists to strike Western
targets and perceived interests.
Extremists may elect to use conventional or non-conventional weapons, and target
both official and private interests. Examples of such targets include
high-profile sporting events, residential areas, business offices, hotels,
clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas, and locales where
Americans gather in large numbers, including during holidays. Terrorists
attacked two hotels, a railway station, restaurant, hospital, and other
locations frequented by Westerners in Mumbai, India, on November 26, 2008. Over
170 persons are believed to have been killed, including six Americans, and
hundreds were injured. On September 20, 2008, terrorists bombed the Islamabad
Marriott Hotel killing two U.S. Department of Defense employees and one
Department of State contractor. One private American sustained minor injuries. A
July 9, 2008, terrorist attack on Turkish police guarding the U.S. Consulate
General in Istanbul, Turkey, killed three police officers and wounded other
police personnel. The March 15, 2008, bombing of an Italian restaurant in
Islamabad, Pakistan, injured several Americans.
Americans are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public
transportation systems. Bombs exploded near city buses in Tripoli, Lebanon, on
August 13 and September 29, 2008, killing twenty-one people. Other incidents
include multiple anti-personnel mine detonations on passenger buses in June 2008
in Sri Lanka, multiple terrorist attacks on trains in India in 2006, the July
2005 London Underground bombings, and the March 2004 train attacks in Madrid.
Extremists also may select aviation and maritime services as possible targets,
such as the August 2006 plot against aircraft in London, or the December 2006
bomb at Madrid's Barajas International Airport. In June 2007, a vehicle was
driven into the main terminal at Glasgow International Airport and burst into
flames, but the bomb failed to detonate.
The Middle East and North Africa
Credible information indicates terrorist groups seek to continue attacks against
U.S. interests in the Middle East and North Africa. Terrorist actions may
include bombings, hijackings, hostage taking, kidnappings, and assassinations.
While conventional weapons such as explosive devices are a more immediate threat
in many areas, use of non-conventional weapons, including chemical or biological
agents, must be considered a possible threat. Terrorists do not distinguish
between official and civilian targets. Increased security at official U.S.
facilities has led terrorists and their sympathizers to seek softer targets such
as public transportation, residential areas, and public areas where people
congregate, including restaurants, hotels, clubs, and shopping areas.
In January 2009, unidentified gunmen opened fire outside the U.S. Embassy in
Sana'a, Yemen. No injuries were reported. On September 17, 2008, armed
terrorists attacked the U.S. Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen, killing several Yemeni
personnel, one embassy security guard, and a few individuals waiting to gain
entry to the embassy. On January 15, 2008, a roadside explosion in Beirut,
Lebanon killed three Lebanese and injured an American citizen. On December 11,
2007, two vehicle-borne explosive devices were detonated at the UN headquarters
in Algiers and the Algerian Constitutional Council. There were a series of
bombings in Morocco in March and April 2007, two of which occurred
simultaneously outside the U.S. Consulate General and the private American
Language Center in Casablanca. Additionally, an attack took place on the
American International School in Gaza in April 2007. These events underscore the
intent of terrorist entities to target facilities perceived to cater to
Westerners.
Potential targets are not limited to those companies or establishments with
overt U.S. ties. For instance, terrorists may target movie theaters, liquor
stores, bars, casinos, or any similar type of establishment, regardless of
whether they are owned and operated by host country nationals. Due to varying
degrees of security at all such locations, Americans should be particularly
vigilant when visiting these establishments.
The violence in Iraq and conflict between Palestinians and Israelis has the
potential to produce demonstrations and unrest throughout the region. The armed
conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza in December 2008 and January
2009 raised tensions and sparked demonstrations throughout the world. The
Department of State continues to warn of the possibility for violent actions
against U.S. citizens and interests in the region. Anti-American violence could
include possible terrorist actions against aviation, ground transportation, and
maritime interests, specifically in the Middle East, including the Red Sea,
Persian Gulf, the Arabian Peninsula, and North Africa.
The Department is concerned that extremists may be planning to carry out attacks
against Westerners and oil workers on the Arabian Peninsula. Armed attacks
targeting foreign nationals in Saudi Arabia that resulted in many deaths and
injuries, including U.S. citizens, appear to have been preceded by extensive
surveillance. On February 22, 2009, there was a bomb attack targeting a popular
tourist destination in Cairo, Egypt's Old City. Tourist destinations in Egypt
frequented by Westerners were also attacked in April 2006 resulting in many
deaths and injuries, including Americans. Extremists may be surveilling
Westerners, particularly at hotels, housing areas, and rental car facilities.
Potential targets may include U.S. contractors, particularly those related to
military interests. Financial or economic venues of value also could be
considered as possible targets; the failed attack on the Abqaiq oil processing
facility in Saudi Arabia in late February 2006 and the September 2006 attack on
oil facilities in Yemen are examples.
East Africa
A number of al-Qaida operatives and other extremists are believed to be
operating in and around East Africa. As a result of the conflict in Somalia,
some of these individuals may seek to relocate elsewhere in the region.
Americans considering travel to the region and those already there should review
their plans carefully, remain vigilant with regard to their personal security,
and exercise caution. Terrorist actions may include suicide operations,
bombings, kidnappings, or targeting maritime vessels. Terrorists do not
distinguish between official and civilian targets. Increased security at
official U.S. facilities has led terrorists to seek softer targets such as
hotels, beach resorts, prominent public places, and landmarks. In particular,
terrorists and like-minded extremists may target international aid workers,
civil aviation, and seaports in various locations throughout East Africa,
including Somalia. On July 17, three NGO workers were kidnapped by unidentified
gunmen from their base in Mandera, Kenya, located on the border with Somalia.
Americans in remote areas or border regions where military or police authority
is limited or non-existent could also become targets.
Americans considering travel by sea near the Horn of Africa or in the southern
Red Sea should exercise extreme caution, as there has been a notable increase in
armed attacks, robberies, and kidnappings for ransom at sea by pirates in recent
months. Merchant vessels continue to be hijacked in Somali territorial waters,
while others have been hijacked as far as 300 nautical miles off the coast of
Somalia, Yemen, and Kenya in international waters.
The U.S. Government maritime authorities advise mariners to avoid the port of
Mogadishu, and to remain at least 200 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia.
In addition, when transiting around the Horn of Africa or in the Red Sea, it is
strongly recommended that vessels travel in convoys, and maintain good
communications contact at all times. Americans traveling on commercial passenger
vessels should consult with the shipping or cruise ship company regarding
precautions that will be taken to avoid hijacking incidents. Commercial vessels
should review the
Department of Transportation Maritime Administration's suggested piracy
countermeasures for vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden.
West Africa
The terrorist group, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), has become
increasingly active in the West African countries of Mali, Mauritania, and
Niger, as well as in parts of North Africa. AQIM uses regions of these countries
as safe havens and platforms from which to conduct operations. Formerly known as
GSPC (Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat), AQIM has been designated a
terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union.
AQIM has declared its intention to attack Western interests and targets. AQIM is
known to operate in the northern region of Mali, the southeastern region of
Mauritania, and along the border between Niger and Mali. In addition to being a
threat to Westerners, AQIM contributes to civil unrest and banditry, which
reinforce longstanding security concerns in West Africa. U.S. citizens are urged
to avoid travel to these areas. U.S. government personnel are required to obtain
advance written approval to travel to these areas. For additional information
about travel in this region, please consult the Country Specific Information
(CSI) for Mauritania, Mali, and Niger.
South and Central Asia
The U.S. Government continues to receive information that terrorist groups in
South and Central Asia may be planning attacks in the region, possibly against
U.S. Government facilities, American citizens, or American interests. The
presence of al-Qaida, Taliban elements, indigenous sectarian groups, and other
terror organizations, many of which are on the U.S. Government's list of foreign
terror organizations, poses a potential danger to American citizens in the
region. Terrorists and their sympathizers have demonstrated their willingness
and capability to attack targets where Americans or Westerners are known to
congregate or visit. Their actions may include, but are not limited to,
vehicle-born explosives, improvised explosive devices, assassinations,
carjacking, rocket attacks, assaults or kidnappings.
In June 2009, gunmen stormed the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar, Pakistan,
and detonated a bomb that resulted in several deaths and scores of injuries. In
February 2009, Taliban insurgents conducted a coordinated terrorist attack in
Kabul, Afghanistan, which resulted in the death of at least 26 and the wounding
of 50 individuals. Between October 2008 and June 2009, several American citizens
were kidnapped in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In November 2008, coordinated
terrorist attacks on luxury hotels, a Jewish community center, a restaurant,
train station, hospital, and other facilities frequented by foreigners in
Mumbai, India, killed more than 170, including six Americans. On November 12,
2008, an American government contractor and his driver in Peshawar, Pakistan,
were shot and killed in their car. In September 2008, more than fifty people,
including three Americans, were killed and hundreds were injured when a suicide
bomber set off a truck filled with explosives outside a major international
hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan. In August 2008, gunmen stopped and shot at the
vehicle of an American diplomat in Peshawar. Also in August, three western
non-governmental organization (NGO) employees, along with their Afghan driver,
were gunned down as they traveled south of Kabul, Afghanistan. On June 2, 2008,
a large bomb exploded in front of the Danish Embassy in Islamabad, killing at
least six people and wounding nearly 20. In May 2008, a series of coordinated
bombings occurred in market and temple areas of the tourist city of Jaipur in
Rajasthan, India. In Afghanistan, kidnappings and terrorist attacks on
international organizations, international aid workers, and foreign interests
continue.
Previous terrorist attacks conducted in Central Asia have involved improvised
explosive devices and suicide bombers and have targeted public areas, such as
markets, local government facilities, and, in 2004, the U.S. and Israeli
Embassies in Uzbekistan. In addition, hostage-takings and skirmishes have
occurred near the Uzbek-Tajik-Kyrgyz border areas.
Before You Go
U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad are encouraged to register with the
nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel
registration web site to obtain updated information on travel and security.
Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S.
Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the
Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. U.S. citizens are
strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local
events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security. For
additional information, please refer to "A
Safe Trip Abroad".
U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert.
These facilities may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services
to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. embassies and
consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S.
citizens. Americans abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain
contact with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
As the Department continues to develop information on any potential security
threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through
its Consular
Information Program documents. In addition to information on the Internet,
travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling
1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, outside the United
States and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are
available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday, Eastern Time (except
U.S. federal holidays.)
The U.S. Embassy is located on Avenida das Forças Armadas, in the neighborhood
of Sete Rios. Telephone: (351) (21) 727-3300; fax: (351) (21) 726-9109; Internet
home page:
http://portugal.usembassy.gov/. The Embassy is located near the Jardim
Zoológico (Sete Rios train stop). The emergency after hours telephone number is
(351) (21) 770-2222.
The U.S. Consulate in the Azores is located in the City of Ponta Delgada on the
Island of San Miguel. The address is Av. Principe do Monaco, 6-20, tel: (351)
(296) 282-216, fax: (351) (296) 287-216.
There is a part-time U.S. Consular Agency in Funchal, on the Island of Madeira,
on Rua Alfandega, no 10-2, Room A-B, phone 351-291-235-636, fax 351-291-229-360.
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