Antiterrorism Advisory:
Last night’s attack at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, following attacks in Brussels and Paris, highlights the continuing threat of terrorism throughout Europe and reinforces the importance of taking effective precautions. Simple measures, such as minimizing time spent in unsecure areas of airports and other mass-transit nodes, can help reduce your risk.
Reports stress the potential for violence associated with the European Soccer Championship and other sporting events. ISIL has encouraged its followers to conduct attacks in conjunction with Ramadan, which runs June 6 – July 7.
Whether staying at home or traveling you should remain aware of your surroundings and immediately report suspicious activity.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department issued a travel alert warning of potential terrorist attacks throughout Europe until Aug. 31 and recently updated travel warnings for Turkey and Ukraine (https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html).
As a reminder, the U.S. European Command requires all DoD personnel to register with the State Departments Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/step/. This free service sends important updates and helps the U.S. Embassy contact you during an emergency.
Other useful resources for information include the U.S. Army Europe Travel Safe website (http://www.eur.army.mil/travelsafe/), and the U.S. Army Europe Stay Safe Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/StaySafeAntiterrorism) or Twitter (https://twitter.com/StaySafeEurope).
