US Issues Terror Warning in Nordic Nations
Image: Image: YLE
The US embassy in Helsinki has published a warning from the State Department to all its citizens in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Officials have apparently received threat information regarding the region, but the online message gives no details as to the nature of the threat.
The warning appeared on the US embassy website early Monday morning. While the message avoids using the word terrorism, it's clear that American officials feel that might be the case. The State Department urges American citizens to be vigilant especially while using public transport.
This type of threat alert, while not unprecedented, is very rare in the Nordic region. Last week Osama bin Laden threatened more terrorist strikes against American targets, although he pointed to countries like Sweden as being safe from strikes.
Paavo Selin, Chief of Finland's Counter-Terrorism Unit, feels that there is no real need for concern or any extraordinary measures on the part of residents or security forces.
Selin points out that the United States has a much lower threshold for issuing such warnings than other countries. Nonetheless, security will likely be stepped up around the embassy in Helsinki.
A similar warning was released by the US Embassy in the Latvian capital Riga on Monday morning. It even specifies November the first as a possible date for a terrorist strike. Latvia has contributed troops to the US-led coalition in Iraq.