I just heard the recent terror alert for France and Germany was a FAKE? We're traveling soon.

[secondwind]

[Skittles]

1. hey

when you don't travel because of threats, the terrorists win - travel but always remain observant of what is going on around you

[secondwind]

2. tks,that is how we feel also. :-)

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Fake or not, the odds of anything happening to you are slim to none. Have a great trip.

[onehandle]

4. My wife and I spent some time traveling around Europe a couple of years ago.

They are very security conscious. Not like over here where it is just grandstanding.

They mostly keep troops at home to actually protect their citizens, not invade other lands and create enemies.

We went through a lot of train stations and saw lots of military with machine guns in hand, finger on trigger.

It was actually very comforting and impressive.

Don't worry. Travel.

[secondwind]

5. Thanks, we're going to Paris for New Year's, but will avoid the metro that night, just in case.

We have to register with the State Dept. online, so they know where we will be. And that's that. The terrorists will NOT win. (plus,we had already paid for the tix....)

Again, thank you .

[onehandle]

6. Paris is the greatest city in the world.

It's not like they say, they are very warm and friendly. Learn basic greetings (if you haven't already) and it will go a long way.

When you go into shops and restaurants, greet them with what's proper for that time of day and smile.

Go to Le Marais at some point. It's the Gay/Arts district with some nice shopping, restaurants and clubs.

We had an apartment there for two weeks and have fond memories.


Watch for pickpockets, not terrorists.

[Amonester]

8. Bon voyage ! :)

Joignez les protestataires de Paris, et ayez beaucoup de plaisirs ! :hi:

[burning rain]

7. European intelligence & Pakistani diplomat call bs on terror threat.

The former see it as "nonsensical," and Pakistan's high commissioner to Britain suspects something more sinister yet: an attempt to cover recent US attacks inside Pakistan. See: http://bit.ly/aDJRgk (Guardian, UK)

[jeanpalmer]

9. Threat "politically motivated"

A US terror alert issued this week about al-Qaida plots to attack targets in western Europe was politically motivated and not based on credible new information, senior Pakistani diplomats and European intelligence officials have told the Guardian.

The non-specific US warning, which despite its vagueness led Britain, France and other countries to raise their overseas terror alert levels, was an attempt to justify a recent escalation in US drone and helicopter attacks inside Pakistan that have "set the country on fire", said Wajid Shamsul Hasan, the high commissioner to Britain.

Hasan, a veteran diplomat who is close to Pakistan's president, suggested the Obama administration was playing politics with the terror threat before next month's midterm congressional elections, in which the Republicans are expected to make big gains.

snip/

Dismissing claims of a developed, co-ordinated plot aimed at Britain, France and Germany, European intelligence officials also pointed the finger at the US, and specifically at the White House. "To stitch together in a seamless narrative is nonsensical," said one well-placed official.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/07/barack-obama-terror-threat-claims