The Risk of Terrorism when Travelling Abroad

A brief summary of the terrorist threat world-wide, and what help FCO Travel Advice can provide in warning of the dangers. It has long been the case that travellers overseas face a risk, usually small, of being caught up in terrorist attacks resulting from local political tensions. But recent years have seen a worrying increase in attacks against 'Western' targets. Since the mid 1990s, Usama Bin Laden's Al Qaeda network and associated groups with the same extreme views have carried out several attacks against broadly 'Western' targets: the 11 September 2001 attacks in New York and Washington; the bombing of American Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, the attack on the US naval frigate USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, plus a number of planned attacks that have failed to come off because of disruption by the authorities in the country concerned. Terrorist attacks during 2002 included:

a suicide car bomb against a synagogue in Djerba, Tunisia in April, that killed 18 European tourists and local Tunisians
a suicide attack against a bus in Karachi carrying French engineers in May;
the shooting of a US diplomat in Amman, Jordan in October;
an attack against a French supertanker in Yemeni waters in October;
the bombs in Bali in October that killed around 200 tourists and local Indonesians;
the attacks in Mombasa in November that killed 17 Kenyans and Israelis;
The shooting of three American medical charity workers in Yemen in December.

These attacks, those in Bali and Mombasa in particular, show that terrorists are prepared to attack the least well protected targets, such as innocent holidaymakers, as long as they can be seen to hit at 'Western' interests. People travelling abroad need to be aware of that risk. Despite the considerable military and law-enforcement successes against terrorist networks, the threat, including the possible use of chemical and biological substances, is likely to remain for some time. Nonetheless, it is important to remember that the risk of being involved in a terrorist attack is still very small, like most other risks of travel (such as natural disasters).

It is rare that the government will warn British citizens against travelling to a country at all. When we do, we hope that people will heed that advice. But there are a range of other countries where there is a risk of terrorists operating. This can be where there is a history of terrorist attacks; or where such groups have been found in the past; or where we believe that terrorists would find it relatively easy to mount an attack because of (for example) support among the local population, or lack of effective law enforcement. The Travel Advice describes what we believe to be the general nature of the threat. This comes in a separate paragraph on 'Terrorism', immediately after the summary of each country Travel Advice. This advice draws on the assessments that are made, and regularly updated, by the Security Service (MI5).

What can ordinary travellers do to minimise risks? Most precautions are common sense. Make sure you are aware of the situation in the country you are going to, by checking this website and keeping an eye on the news, and if in doubt by checking in with the local British Embassy or Consulate. Look out for anything suspicious (for example an unattended bag at an airport, or a group of people acting suspiciously around an obviously 'Western' institution or gathering). Report anything that you think is suspicious to the local police – many terrorist attacks have been foiled by the vigilance of ordinary people. -keralamonitor.com News

March 19, 2003