PARIS: Japan and Sweden Monday became the latest countries to issue travel alerts for their citizens amid growing fears of a major Al-Qaeda attack on landmark sites in Europe. Tokyo and Stockholm joined Washington and London in issuing an alert warning of a “possible terrorist attack” in Europe by Al-Qaeda and affiliated groups. The US State Department said in its alert on Sunday that attackers may use “a variety of means and weapons and target both official and private interests” in Europe. Britain immediately backed the US alert and warned its own citizens of a “high threat of terrorism” in France and Germany. Sweden's foreign ministry called on Swedish travellers to the rest of Europe to be on alert “in public places, in and around public buildings, at tourist attractions, on public transport and in other places with large crowds.” Japan urged citizens to exercise caution at government and police facilities, public transport systems and tourist spots. US channel Fox News, citing unnamed intelligence officials, said militants had a list of targets in France and Germany, including Paris's Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral, Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, the city's central railway station and the Alexanderplatz TV tower. The Eiffel Tower, one of France's most-visited tourist attraction, was twice evacuated last month because of telephoned bomb warnings. Fox cited a senior Western intelligence official as saying that the information about the target list was provided by “a German-Pakistani national interrogated at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the travel advisory pertained solely to Europe, but said US authorities remained vigilant regarding the American homeland. “We clearly know that Al-Qaeda and it's affiliates seek to do us harm and attack us here. We remain vigilant,” he said. A small number of soldiers patrolled as usual at the foot of the Eiffel Tower Monday as long lines of visitors waited to climb the tower, a magnet for many of the 74.2 million visitors to France last year. Though there were no visible signs of heightened security, some tourists said they felt more vigilant than usual. “We decided not to go up the Eiffel Tower because of the possibility of what could happen” after hearing of the travel advisory on CNN, said Eileen Carbrello, 60, a tourist from Virginia.Germany's interior minister warned against “alarmism” about the threat, saying there were “no indications of imminent attacks in Germany.” – Agence France
