Basques Claim Spain Bombings

A powerful car bomb damaged more than 100 vehicles at Madrid’s international airport last week, the third terrorist attack in a month and apparently aimed at Spain’s tourist industry. Last month, hundreds of tourists were evacuated just before a large car bomb went off in a hotel parking lot in the resort of Cabo Salou, 55 miles south of Barcelona. And at the end of July, experts defused a bomb at the Malaga airport. In all three cases, anonymous calls gave police time to clear the areas. The bombs were attributed to Basque separatists, who have threatened to target tourism in Spain.

France: Pickpocket theft is a growth industry in France, especially in Paris. The number of Americans reporting stolen passports in France between May and July increased by 35% from the same period last year, the Associated Press reports. The State Department urges travelers to be especially careful at:

* The rail link from Charles de Gaulle airport to Paris, where jet-lagged, luggage-burdened tourists may be vulnerable to thieves.

* The No. 1 subway line, which runs by the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and other attractions.

* Department stores, where customers may leave wallets on counters during transactions.

Britain: A car bomb exploded in a busy area of west London last month, injuring six people. It went off just before midnight near the Ealing Broadway train station and was attributed to a faction of the Irish Republican Army. Regarding terrorist violence in England and Northern Ireland, the State Department notes that “U.S. citizens have not been specifically targeted, but some have been injured when caught up in disturbances.”

Asia

Sri Lanka: A rebel attack on the nation’s only international airport in late July left 20 dead and spurred the State Department to issue a warning urging Americans to avoid travel to the country. Americans already there have been advised to contact the consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Colombo to register and obtain security information.

Middle East

Israel, the West Bank and Gaza: Following a suicide bombing at a crowded Jerusalem pizzeria last month, which killed 15 people, the State Department updated its long-term travel warning on Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Americans are warned to delay all travel there. The West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem are off-limits to U.S. government workers.

In an announcement in effect until Nov. 10, the department advises Americans abroad to contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for security updates on Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Briefly ...

Macedonia: Increased violence and attacks on some U.S. targets have caused the State Department to intensify its travel warning on the former Yugoslav republic, first issued in June. Instead of being counseled to be careful in the Balkan country, Americans are now being “strongly urged” to leave. The United States has ordered all dependents and non-emergency personnel to leave its embassy in Skopje.... Sicily: Mt. Etna has calmed somewhat after weeks of flare-ups that sent lava down its slopes, destroying a resort’s cable car base and threatening a town. The airport at Catania has closed several times because of falling ash.... Fiji: The South Pacific nation’s government has been shaky since an attempted coup last year, and a state of emergency remains in effect. Major tourist areas are quiet, but demonstrations and civil unrest remain a possibility, the State Department says in an advisory effective until Dec. 12. ... Dominican Republic: Crime and street protests have damaged the Caribbean country’s vital tourist industry, according to the nation’s tourism minister. A trade association reports that more than 200 hotels on the north coast have shut their doors in recent months.

Hot Spots: State Department travel warnings are posted for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Central African Republic, Colombia, Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Yemen and Yugoslavia.

The State Department provides travel advisories at (202) 647-5225, Internet https://www.travel.state.gov.