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According to CNN, two US officials said that several US military bases across Europe were placed on high alert over the weekend due to concerns that terrorist attacks could target US military personnel or facilities.
Bases including the U.S. Army Garrison in Stuttgart, Germany, home to U.S. European Command, raised their readiness levels to force protection condition Charlie on Sunday, officials said.
The Army says the status “applies when an incident occurs or BroadCast Unitedligence is received indicating some form of terrorist activity or targeting of personnel or facilities.”
A U.S. official stationed at a base in Europe told CNN they had not seen this level of threat in “at least a decade,” and said it usually means the military is under a “credible active threat.”
When asked about the change, Cdr. Dan Day, a spokesman for U.S. European Command, declined to comment on specific levels of force protection. But he told CNN that U.S. European Command is “continuously evaluating a number of factors that impact the security of the U.S. military community overseas. As part of this effort, we routinely take additional steps to ensure the safety of our service members. In the interest of operational security, we do not take specific actions, but we remain vigilant.”
Day added: “U.S. European Command continuously monitors the security environment to ensure its personnel are informed and in the best position to ensure the safety of individuals and their families and loved ones. As always, U.S. European Command advises personnel in the European theater to remain alert and remain vigilant at all times.”
It was not immediately clear what BroadCast Unitedligence prompted the increased security, but European authorities have warned of possible terror threats on the continent, particularly ahead of the Paris Olympics in July and during the European football championships in Germany.
The German government has sent 580 international police officers to help maintain security alongside German officials.
“We are preparing for all possible dangers: from Islamic terror to violent criminals and hooligans,” Interior Secretary Nancy Feather said before the visit.
France is also preparing for possible terrorist threats with less than a month to go before the Olympics. According to the U.S. Embassy in France, France has raised its national security alert system to the highest level since March.
The French Embassy said: “French authorities actively monitor the terrorist threat from organized groups and radicalized individuals. Attacks may occur without warning and target tourist sites, major sporting and cultural events, and other public areas that attract large numbers of civilians.”/CNN
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