Warning for U.S. travelers: Tensions in 2 European countries spark terrorism advisories

WASHINGTON – New advisories from the U.S. State Department warn that if you are traveling to Europe, you should exercise increased caution in some countries for fear of terrorist activity.

The State Department issued a warning on Tuesday, Sept., 17, for Denmark, cautioning that terrorist groups continue to plan attacks there.

“Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas,” the advisory cautions.

The advisory is a Level Two warning that calls for exercising increased caution. Level Three (Reconsider Travel) and Level Four (Do Not Travel) advisories are the two more serious levels.

This advisory also covers Greenland and the Faroe Islands, both of which are part of the kingdom of Denmark.

That advisory comes on the heels of a similar warning for travelers to Italy. Like the warnings about Denmark, that Level Two advisory, issued Thursday, Sept. 12, cautions travelers about possible terrorism actions.

“Terrorist attacks are possible in Italy. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning,” the advisory said.

The warnings for European travelers are the second and third posted since May. That’s when the State Department cautioned that terrorist attacks in Germany were a possibility.

The only more serious warnings issued in the last year for European travel were for countries impacted by the war in Ukraine. Do-not-travel warnings were issued for Ukraine (May 2023), Belarus (July 2023) and Russia (September 2023) in connection with the fighting.

If you’re traveling to any of these European countries, the State Department recommends you take the following precautions:

• Be aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues. 

• Follow instructions of local authorities. 

• Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust plans based on new information. 

• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. 

• Review the State Department’s Country Security Report for the countries. 

• Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention online to learn the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel. 

• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the State Department’s Traveler’s Checklist. 

Travelers may also want to follow the State Department on Facebook and Twitter for any updates, the advisory states.