WORLDWIDE CAUTION - PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT (State Department Travel Warning)

U.S. Department of State ^ | December 21, 2003

[Dont Mention the War]

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

---

This information is current as of today,

WORLDWIDE CAUTION

December 21, 2003

This supersedes the Worldwide Caution dated November 21, 2003. The text of that Caution is being reiterated below to remind U.S. citizens of the continuing threat that they may be targets of terrorist actions and to alert them to the raising of the Homeland Security threat level from Yellow (Elevated) to Orange (High). This Worldwide Caution expires on June 21, 2004.

The U.S. Government remains deeply concerned about the security of U.S. citizens overseas. U.S. citizens are cautioned to maintain a high level of vigilance, to remain alert and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. We are seeing increasing indications that Al-Qaida is preparing to strike U.S. interests abroad.

Al-Qaida and its associated organizations have struck in the Middle East in Riyadh , Saudi Arabia , and in Europe in Istanbul , Turkey . We therefore assess that other geographic locations could be venues for the next round of attacks. We expect Al-Qaida will strive for new attacks designed to be more devastating than the September 11 attack, possibly involving nonconventional weapons such as chemical or biological agents. We also cannot rule out that Al-Qaida will attempt a second catastrophic attack within the U.S.

Terrorist actions may include, but are not limited to, suicide operations, hijackings, bombings or kidnappings. These may also involve commercial aircraft and maritime interests, and threats to include conventional weapons, such as explosive devices. Terrorists do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. These may include facilities where U.S. citizens and other foreigners congregate or visit, including residential areas, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, hotels, outdoor recreation events or resorts and beaches. U.S. citizens should remain in a heightened state of personal security awareness when attendance at such locations is unavoidable.

U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may temporarily close or suspend public services from time to time 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, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov . 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 U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-317-472-2328.

Return to Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings Page

[Chad Fairbanks]

Bump

[conservativecorner]

BUMP!

[Semper911]

Since I am flat on my ass with the flu, I had to cancel my airline trip across the country to visit my family for Christmas.

But now I am sort of glad I don't have to deal with the holiday airport scene, and the added stress of these new warnings.

I suspect the acronym TSA will be more true than ever:

Thousands Standing Around.

I never thought I would be happy to be excused from Christmas.

[ladyinred]

This is sounding more and more ominous.

[mitchbert]

Is it just me or is this language somewhat more ominous than some warnings we've had in the past?

There have been several suggestions of attacks from "non official" sources in the past few weeks. Northeast Intellegence Network and Steve Quale come to mind.

Terrorist Warnings & Decemember 20th, 2003 Bin Laden "message"

Anyone care to chime in here?

[mitchbert]

ominous

We seem to have chosen the same description.

[cmsgop]

Get Better wishes from me Pal....

[Rightone]

Scary and not good. Stay vigilant.

[ladyinred]

Sorry you are sick, but as you say, you might be better off. Spend Christmas with fellow freepers!! Never a real dull moment here, nor a loss of communication.

Merry Christmas, anyway!

[mitchbert]

Sorry...post 7 was meant to go to yoy :-)

[LisaMalia]

So nice to deal with this, AND having family and friends driving around Columbus, Ohio. Double whammy.
All you can do is pray.

[mitchbert]

Time to haqng it up :-)

Yoy = You

[ladyinred]

I think that post was to me, as I also said ominous. This does appear different than the previous warnings. In fact, Ridge said it was the most serious so far. Something must be up.

[mitchbert]

No kidding. I'm going to Vegas in early January. Right in the prediction range. Oh well. Like you said, all you can do...

[Mears]

This was all I needed to hear with my son,his wife, and 2 small boys heading out this week on a 5000 mile trip.

I just pray a lot---not much else I can do.

[Mark]

This Worldwide Caution expires on June 21, 2004.

OKyDokey.

[ladyinred]

You will want to read this.

[ladyinred]

BTW: The links you provided proved to be very informative. Thanks.

[Clint Williams]

Get well soon.

[Inspectorette]

A lot of us are going to be nervous - we're flying from Burbank, CA, to Portland, OR on Christmas night. If it were up to me, we'd postpone...

[zeaal]

What was the date Richard Reid attempted to shoe-bomb over the Atlantic? Decemberrrr .... ?

[You Dirty Rats]

No matter what may lay behind this latest warning, it is no reason to not travel or try to hide from something. For one thing, any attack (short of a nuke, which is extremely unlikely) will affect only a very tiny fraction of almost 300 million people. 9-11 and later attacks are primarily psy-ops -- Al-Qaida is not capable of defeating our nation or killing millions.

We need to all be alert (to stop shoe bombers and the like), and our security people should be extra-careful, but it makes no sense to stop living our normal lives. Death from a car accident is far more likely than death from terrorism.

All this changes if they use a nuke, but in that case hiding won't help anyway.

I refuse to allow these cowardly bastards to ruin my Christmas. They have more to fear from us than we have to fear from them.

[monkeywrench]

"I just pray a lot---not much else I can do."

Think of it as, 'I pray alot--there's nothing greater I can do.' :)

[mrs tiggywinkle]

.

[Cicero]

I have not changed my plans or let the war on terror effect my life. But I do think people should be on the alert and keep their eyes open. It's very likely that al Quaeda will mount a big attack or attacks this Christmas season if they can manage it. I was somewhat disgusted by the numerous jokes on the other thread when the alert level was raised to orange.

I'm still in an apartment in downtown New York, although a lot of people moved out after 9/11. I don't intend to let these cowards change my life. But the police obviously need help from citizens keeping a lookout. You're doing it for your neighbors and family as well as yourself.

[TexKat]

State Dept. alert ping.

[radu]

Thanks for the ping, TexKat.
I'm reeeeeally behind on gathering news to file away and send out. LOL!

After all the creepy things I've seen the past couple of months, this announcement and Tom Ridge's raising of the national alert level come as no surprise. Something's up and I just hope the authorities can put the halts to it.

We all just need to keep our eyes and ears open as we go through our daily routines. Hubby and I aren't changing our routines but we've prepared as best we can for anything that may happen.

[blackie]

Be Well ~ Be Armed ~ Be Safe ~ Molon Labe!

[Pagey]

"...Terrorists do not distinguish between official and civilian targets..."

I think this is the most important sentence in this article. In effect until June 2004, huh? That's saying something.

[windchime]

Bump!