State Department Issues Travel Alert Over Potential Al-Qaeda Attack

The State Department has issued a worldwide travel alert that Al-Qaeda is planning an attack in the Middle East or North Africa in the month of August.

The press release, which has not yet appeared on the State Department website [Update: Here’s the alert] but is reprinted by Business Insider in full, warns,

“The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the continued potential for terrorist attacks, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, and possibly occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula. Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August. This Travel Alert expires on August 31, 2013.”It adds, “We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens Traveling abroad enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.”

CNN is reporting that some U.S. embassies in the region, including those in Egypt and Israel, will close starting on Sunday for an unspecified length of time.

As of this writing, there is no detail about the nature of the threat.

Update: August 5, 10:07 a.m.
Nineteen U.S. diplomatic posts have also been closed, at least through this week.

Destination information tool promises increased travel safety, eventually

Destination information from a trusted source can make for a rich travel experience and help keep us safe. Knowing where to go (and not go) in a city we have not traveled to before can be valuable information to have on hand. Trip Sentry, a new search engine for travelers, hopes to become the authority site for connecting people on the move with travel safety advice.

“Trip Sentry solves the problem of getting high quality, relevant advice to travelers completely,” said Co-Founder Adam Sculthorpe, “our new search engine allows travelers to easily get advice from trusted sources and set up travel safety alerts for any destination in just a few seconds.”

Not a bad idea really. One problem though: Multiple searches for commonly visited cities produced few or no results. Randomly selecting New York, Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles: Nothing.

International destination information fared better though. London had 55 results and a search for Hong Kong came up with 85 results that included exit and entry information, safety and security data, natural disaster and weather background and alerts along with information about culture, laws and customs.

Trip Sentry also has a member portal allowing travelers to configure alerts for multiple-city destination information and set up departure notes to be sent out just before a trip begins.

I input destinations coming up this year on my travel schedule as well as dream destinations I hope to visit some day. Trip Sentry is a work in progress that promises to have real, personal value in the future.

“We’ve already delivered travel safety advice to people in more than 403 Cities, most of them in Europe and North America but quite a few in Southeast Asia too. I’m very pleased with the feedback we’ve had so far but we have a way to go yet, it’s early days,” said Sculthorpe.

Flickr photo by keithusc


River cruises, land tours canceled as evacuation from Egypt begins

While at least 2,400 U.S. citizens are seeking evacuation from Egypt today, only two charter planes arranged by the U.S. Department of State have taken left the scene , one landing in Cyprus and the other on the way to Athens, Greece. It looks like it is going to take some time to make those evacuation plans happen.

“People should be prepared for a very long wait,” Janice Jacobs, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for consular affairs told CNN.

With an estimated 52,000 Americans in Egypt, 2,400 have requested assistance evacuating. The US Department of State has issued a warning against traveling to Egypt and noted that those interested in evacuation People interested in evacuation via U.S. government-chartered transportation should contact the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Cairo by sending an e-mail to EgyptEmergencyUSC@state.gov or by calling 1-202-501-4444.

Egypt land tours and Nile river cruises have been suspended with tour operators Abercrombie and Kent, Trafalgar tours, Uniworld, Avalon Waterways, Grand Circle Travel and Gate 1 Travel all canceling operations.

“It’s an absolute zoo, what a mess,” Justine Khanzadian, 23, a graduate student from the American University of Cairo told AOL Travel.

MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Lines, both scheduled to call at Alexandria, Egypt have modified their itineraries. The Norwegian Jade called at Istanbul Sunday. MSC Magnifica called at Limassol, Cyprus on Sunday and is calling at Haifa, Israel today. MSC Splendida will call at Izmir, Turkey.

Some of the popular tourist attractions in Alexandria, Egypt include Pompeii’s Pillar, The Tombs of Al-Anfushi, The Graeco-Roman Museum and The Museum of Fine Arts, known for its rich collection of sculptures, paintings and architectural works.

Flickr photo by Deanster 1983

Guatemala travel alert: road to Lake Atitlan closed until year’s end due to mudslides

The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City is asking that travelers defer visiting Lake Atitlan until January for safety reasons, due to an increase of crime during the holiday season, and closure of the main road due to mudslides. The stunning volcanic lake in Guatemala’s Highlands is a popular destination for travelers in search of a low-key, off-the-beaten-path holiday.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the road from the Department of Solola to the lakeside town of Panajachel will be closed until the end of the year, and that “alternate routes to Panajachel by road or boat involve risk.”

For updates, go the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

[Photo credit: Flickr user alq666]