Israelis warned not to travel to India because of ‘concrete’ terror threat
Tourists already there urged by Counter-Terror Bureau to avoid crowded areas and New Year’s parties, especially in Goa, other southern states
Israel’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau issued a travel warning for India on Friday, urging Israelis not to travel to the country and cautioning those already there that Islamist groups may try to carry out terror attacks in the immediate future.
The warning is defined a “concrete basic threat,” according to Channel 2 television.
The bureau singled out Western and tourist hot-spots as being at increased risk, with the alert at its highest in southwest India, in particular in Goa and adjacent states.
The bureau recommended that travelers avoid beach parties and nightclubs with a high concentration of tourists, as well as busy markets, festivals and shopping centers.
Families with relatives traveling in the country were asked to alert their loved ones to the advisory.
“Israeli tourists in India are asked to remain alert and listen to local media and the instructions of security officials,” the warning said.
In Europe, which has seen multiple deadly terror attacks over the past two years, many cities are preparing for the possibility that Islamist radicals will also try to disrupt and spoil New Year festivities.
In Berlin, where 12 people were murdered in a truck-ramming attack earlier this month, police closed the square opposite Brandenburg Bridge. An additional 1,700 extra officers will also be deployed across the city during the New Year festivities.
In Italy, major cities including Rome and Naples have banned the entry of trucks to city centers, and police officers are patrolling near tourist attractions, Channel 2 reported.
Additional security measures have also been taken in Spain, Belgium and France.
