Terrorist attacks in Kenya lead to Britain issuing travel warnings

Terrorist attacks in Kenya lead to Britain issuing travel warnings

·         police news

·         June 13, 2013

·         By: Jim Kouri

British government officials on Wednesday released an alert to their citizens traveling to the East African nation of Kenya in light of the increase in terrorist attacks, according to U.K. police intelligence analyst Stephen Corcoran.

The frequent outbreaks of violence especially grenade attacks have led to the British Foreign Service issuing this latest travel advisory to its citizens visiting certain nations in the Middle East, North Africa and other foreign destinations, Corcoran said.

However, the Kenyan travel advisory noted that 203,290 British nationals visited Kenya in 2011 and the majority of "visits were trouble-free."

This latest travel advisory to President Barack Obama's ancestral home comes in the wake of a grenade attack cities of Mombasa and Nairobi, which left at least 20 Kenyan citizens wounded, he reported.

According to the British Foreign Office, the threat emanates from Islamic terrorists allied with Somalia's Al- Shabaab, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda.

The leaders of Al-Shabaab have made numerous threats against Kenya because of its military's actions in war-torn Somalia. The British government warns that Muslim terrorists may target official buildings like government offices, businesses and police or military facilities. Attacks on hotels are also possible, according to Corcoran.

As has happened in the past, terrorists may attack targets frequented by foreigners such as hotels, night spots, restaurants, sports events, buses, shopping malls and other places of public assembly.

Al-Shabaab is also notorious for attacking Christian churches and schools run by religious organizations other than Islam.

In the Kenyan travel advisory, British officials warned citizens against all but essential travel to parts of Kenya and, at the moment, is warning British tourists to avoid areas in close proximity to Kenya's border with Somalia.

The Foreign Office warned travelers about wandering into low-income areas of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, including "slum areas where attacks or violence are frequent."