Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Counter-Terrorism Bureau cautions against visiting Sinai


Israelis warned against spending Passover in Egyptian peninsula due to kidnapping threat

Roni Sofer
Israel News

The Counter-Terrorism Bureau has issued a warning to Israelis thinking of spending the Passover holiday in Sinai, also asking all those already staying there to leave immediately. The Bureau's statement Tuesday said that terror threats in the desert peninsula were becoming steadily graver.


"For everyone now there exists a concrete, immediate, and grave threat regarding the kidnapping of Israelis from the beaches of Sinai and their smuggling into Gaza. The involvement of Hizbullah in this attack makes it more threatening," the statement said.


The official warning issued last month told Israelis to stay away from Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Yemen, and Afghanistan. Lighter cautions were issued against Algiers, Djibouti, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan.


Israelis staying in Columbia have been advised to conceal their Israeli identity and prefer air travel or travel on main roads and highways.


The bureau also cautioned against visiting certain areas in Southeast Asia, such as Cashmere in the north of India and Mandau Island in the southern Philippines. Israelis were also warned against visiting Chechnya in Russia.


Care should also be taken when visiting Turkey, the Philippines, Thailand, and Uzbekistan, the bureau said, where moderate levels of threat have been gauged.

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