US military bases in Europe are reportedly on high alert due to possible terrorist threat

According to multiple reports, several U.S. military bases in Europe were placed on high alert last weekend due to a possible terrorist attack in the region that could target American personnel.

It is the second-highest alert level issued by the U.S. Army, and an American official at one of the bases said they had not seen such a level in at least a decade.

The US garrison in Stuttgart, where the US European Command has its headquarters, was one of many bases whose status was raised to the “Force Protection Condition” (protection condition “Charlie”) alert level on Sunday, officials told CNN.

Charlie “applies when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating that some form of terrorist act or attack on personnel or facilities is likely,” the Army directive states.

EUCOM officials declined to comment further on the growing terrorist threat, but the office said in a statement that it was “continuously assessing a number of factors” related to security and protection.

“For operational security reasons, we will not take any concrete action, but we will remain vigilant,” EUCOM said.

A US official based at a base in Europe told CNN that they have not seen an increase in the Charlie alert level “in at least 10 years,” and said such a move likely means the military faces an “active, reliable threat.”

According to the independent military publication “Stars and Stripes”, in addition to several facilities in Germany, US military bases in Italy, Romania and Bulgaria were also informed of the alarm.

During the ongoing European Football Championship in Germany, European authorities were particularly vigilant about possible terrorist threats on the continent. Berlin deployed 580 international police officers to ensure security.

“We are preparing for all conceivable dangers: from Islamist terror to violent criminals and hooligans,” said Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser before the tournament.

France has also warned of possible attacks during the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris, which are scheduled to begin on July 26.

In May, an 18-year-old Chechen was charged with planning to attack spectators at football matches during the Olympic Games in the hope of “dying and becoming a martyr.”