Previous
Europe on alert: fall 2010 terror plots
Al Qaeda-linked terror threats in Europe this fall put intelligence and security forces, as well as the public, on edge. Most recently, Germany ramped up its security in anticipation of a possible attack. Below, an overview of those threats and incidents:
Police stand guard on a bridge across from the Eiffel Tower after the French tourism landmark and the surrounding park were evacuated for the second time in two weeks following a bomb alert in Paris on Sept. 28. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters)
French officials evacuate Eiffel Tower twice in September
The first of this fall’s incidents was in early September, when French police closed the Eiffel Tower after receiving a bomb threat. Two weeks later, the iconic structure was closed again for the same reason. At the time, French authorities suspected Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb of plotting an attack, the Associated Press reported. French officials said at the time that the French burqa ban may have spurred the threats.
French officials were also on the lookout in late September for a female suicide bomber possibly threatening French public transport, the Daily Mail reported. Combined, these incidents prompted significant anxiety about impending threats. "The risk of a terrorist attack on French soil has never been higher," said Bernard Squarcini, head of French domestic intelligence, according to the Daily Mail.
These comments are not screened before publication. Constructive debate about the above story is welcome, but personal attacks are not. Please do not post comments that are commercial in nature or that violate any copyright[s]. Comments that we regard as obscene, defamatory, or intended to incite violence will be removed. If you find a comment offensive, you may flag it.