Security tightened in terror alert

Security has been stepped up at local international airports after U.S. and British authorities warned of a possible terrorist attack by al-Qaeda in Europe.

An armored personnel carrier, police with submachine guns and dog handlers have been added to the security at Prague's Ruzyně Airport, Interior Minister Radek John told journalists Oct. 4.

Increased security has also been put into place at the country's other international airports, as were reinforced police patrols at what are described as "high-risk buildings," the ministry said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Jiří Reichl told The Prague Post that authorities "have no information that this threat would specifically apply to the Czech Republic."

Kateřina Rendlová, spokeswoman for the Foreigners Police, confirmed that security had been stepped up at international airports in Prague, Brno, Pardubice, Karlovy Vary and Ostrava.

"Checks have been enforced for entering and leaving the country, luggage check-in, airport patrols and special units for detection explosives," Rendlová told The Prague Post.

Stressing that the measures were preventive, she said the "situation is constantly being monitored and reassessed," adding the force could not comment further for tactical reasons.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said a warning was in place for Czechs traveling to France but it would not be extended to other countries as a result of the U.S. alert, the Czech News Agency (ČTK) reported.

The new security measures were introduced after the U.S. State Department issued a travel alert Oct. 3 advising U.S. citizens traveling to Europe to "take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves."

It also encouraged Americans to register with the embassy or consulate in their destination country. The alert, which is currently set as valid until Jan. 31, said there was the "potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and tourist infrastructure."

The British Foreign Office also warned its citizens Oct. 3 about the possibility of a terrorist attack in France and Germany. The office said French authorities "continue to consider that there is a high threat of terrorism," including the possibility of indiscriminate attacks.

France has been on high alert, known as "reinforced red," since Sept. 16 over fears of a possible attack by al-Qaeda's North African arm. The Eiffel Tower has been evacuated twice in recent weeks over bomb threats that proved false.

The British Foreign Office also said there was a "high threat from terrorism" in Germany. However, German authorities have not raised their alert level, and the country's interior minister, Thomas de Maiziere, has denied any new threat to Germany exists.

Britain itself remains under a terror threat rating of "severe," the second-highest rating, after it was raised from "substantial" in January.

Sweden also raised its terror alert to "elevated" Oct. 1, but said the threat from groups targeting the country was not imminent.

Speaking at a Washington teleconference briefing Oct. 3, U.S. State Department Under-Secretary for Management Patrick F. Kennedy stressed that Americans were not being advised to stay away from Europe.

"We're not saying don't travel to Europe. We're not saying don't visit major tourist attractions or historic sites or monuments."

Kennedy said being aware of one's surroundings, reporting suspicious sightings and registering with the relevant embassy or consulate were practical security steps tourists were being encouraged to make.

Almost 275,000 Americans visited the Czech Republic last year, Tomio Okamura, spokesman for the Czech Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agencies, told ČTK. Okamura predicted this visitor rate would now decrease, in line with his experience of previous warnings.

Meanwhile, some streets in Prague's Malá Strana neighborhood were closed by police for a short time yesterday evening after suspicious boxes were found attached by magnets to street light poles.

No explosives were found in the 16 small boxes, which contained light-emitting diodes and nine-volt batteries, police said.

- Klára Jiřičná contributed to this report.

Bill Lehane can be reached at
blehane@praguepost.com