Israel Readies for Holiday Visitors

Middle East

Israel: Stepping up security after a deadly series of terrorist bombings, Israel prepared for an influx of visitors over Easter Week and Passover.

At press time Wednesday, there were 62 dead--including four suicide bombers--from the four attacks in late February and early March in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the coastal town of Ashkelon. Two of the bombs, a week apart, struck the No. 18 bus in Jerusalem, and one of those attacks killed two Americans.

Despite stringent security, terrorism can strike in Israel at any time. The State Department reminds travelers that public transit buses and bus stops are ripe targets (the warning does not apply to tour buses). In addition, the West Bank, with its tourist sites, is often closed to travelers after violent incidents.

Worldwide

An antitank rocket fired by a terrorist struck a perimeter wall at the U.S. Embassy in Athens last month. There were no injuries, but the attack was a reminder that U.S. embassies, once seen as a refuge for travelers in trouble, are now themselves targets. In recent months, American embassies or consulates, or their personnel, have come under attack in Moscow and Karachi, Pakistan. In Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, security deteriorated so sharply that the U.S. Embassy was closed. In the past 16 years, according to a Los Angeles Times report, U.S. embassies and consulates have been attacked, bombed, mobbed or seized more than 360 times, and 409 U.S. diplomatic personnel have been killed, injured or taken hostage.

Security abroad: If you travel where anti-American terrorism is considered a possibility, here are some suggestions from the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs:

* Register with the U.S. Embassy upon arrival.

* Be cautious about discussing your itinerary or other personal matters with strangers.

* Make a mental note of safe havens such as police stations, hotels and hospitals.

* Select your own taxicabs at random. Don’t take a cab that is not clearly identified as a taxi. Compare the face of the driver with the one posted on his license.

Central America

Nicaragua: Motorists who stray too far off the Pan American Highway may come face to face with the so-called guerrilla bandits of Nicaragua, and the Reuters news service reports several examples from recent months. A European Community convoy was attacked by an armed band that killed three Nicaraguans. The motorcade of a leading presidential candidate came under attack, and a police escort was killed. A landowner was kidnapped and later killed when his captors’ ransom demand was not met. According to Reuters, roving bands operate freely in rural areas, robbing, kidnapping and killing. They often wear fatigues and carry automatic rifles, which indicates some connection to the guerrilla armies of Nicaragua’s past.

Briefly . . .

Mexico: An ex-governor of Baja California was shot to death last month while riding in a chauffeur-driven car in an affluent part of Mexico City. According to Reuters, a gunman had approached the car at a stoplight and demanded the ex-governor’s watch.

Brazil: Heavy rains have caused a waste dump to spill toxic materials into the Bay of Sepetiba, 30 miles west of Rio de Janeiro, where much of the city’s seafood is caught, Reuters reports. A state official said the zinc-producing company that manages the dump will be charged with environmental crimes.

Bulgaria: The difficult shift to a market economy has allowed organized crime to step in, according to government statistics. Last year nine people died in 200 bomb explosions attributed to protection racketeers. There were also two recent attacks on Chinese diplomats, leading to concern that xenophobic acts are on the rise.

Hot spots: State Department travel warnings are in effect for Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Colombia, Guatemala, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan and Tajikistan.

The U.S. State Department offers recorded travel warnings and advisories at (202) 647-5225; the fax line is (202) 647-3000.