US military: European forces on alert in light of terror warnings

By Jack Phillips
Contributing Author

The US military on Sunday responded to reports that bases across Europe had been placed on second-highest alert by saying its European command would “remain vigilant”.

Reports from several news agencies, citing unnamed U.S. Department of Defense and military officials, said the Force Protection Condition (FPCON), also known as “Charlie,” was introduced last weekend.

“There is credible intelligence indicating an attack on U.S. bases in the next week or so,” an unnamed U.S. defense official told Fox News. Those reports could not immediately be verified.

According to CNN, two unnamed military officials said the military was concerned about a possible terrorist attack somewhere in Europe, but few details were given. ABC News also reported on the changing threat situation across Europe, citing two US military officials.

A US Department of Defense spokesman said on Monday in response to the reports that they were “continuously assessing a variety of factors” regarding security, adding: “For operational security reasons, we will not comment on specific actions, but we remain vigilant.”

“As part of these efforts, we often take additional steps to ensure the safety of our soldiers,” the statement said.

The statement added that the European Command “continuously monitors the security situation to ensure that its personnel are informed and in the best possible position to ensure the safety of individuals and their families and loved ones.” It also said that “personnel in the European theater of operations” should “remain vigilant and alert at all times.”

The statement did not specifically refer to the reports, which cited unnamed military officials. European politicians have expressed concerns about a possible terrorist attack on the continent, with the Olympic Games in Paris in July and the European football championships taking place in Germany.

In the recent bulletins from various US embassies, no European country was warned of a possible terrorist attack.

The U.S. military sets protection levels for specific troops, including Normal, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, or Delta, the highest level. In many years following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Bravo was a common alert level for many U.S. bases.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told reporters last month that authorities were concerned about the possibility of a terrorist attack. “Our attention is of course primarily focused on the threat of Islamist terrorism, hooligans and their crimes, everyday crime, violent criminals, but this time also cyber attacks,” Faeser said at a ceremony for around 350 police officers deployed for the soccer event.

“Our security authorities are therefore keeping a close eye on the Islamist scene,” she added, referring to terrorist groups such as IS. Around 22,000 police officers will be on duty every day during the tournament, she explained.

In the United States, FBI Director Christopher Wray has repeatedly warned of the possibility of a terrorist attack within the United States.

“Foreign terrorists, including ISIS, al-Qaeda and their supporters, have renewed calls in statements and propaganda for attacks on Jewish communities here in the United States and throughout the West,” Wray said in April.

“The threat from foreign terrorists and the potential for a coordinated attack here at home, like the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia Concert Hall a few weeks ago, are now increasingly concerning. October 7 and the conflict that followed will trigger a spiral of radicalization and mobilization in the years to come,” he said, referring to a terrorist attack in Moscow claimed by ISIS that killed more than 140 people in April, and the October 7 attacks by the terrorist group Hamas on Israel.

Meanwhile, several former senior U.S. officials have made similar comments. In June, former CIA director Michael Morell told CBS News that U.S. officials should act with more urgency in containing a possible terrorist attack.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.