PHOTOS, PAGE 1

       Editor and prime reporter is Doug Terry, a veteran television and radio reporter in   Washington, DC, (details below)

TRAVEL TO EUROPE: TO GO OR NOT TO GO?

There seems to be a lot of confusion about whether Americans should go to Europe on business or vacation with the warning from the State Department having been issued. The answer is fairly easy: yes.  You’d be in about the same level of danger staying home as you would traveling, for one thing. For another, the chances of getting caught in any terrorist attack are small and you, the traveler, can make them even smaller.

Here are some things I would carefully consider if I were planning a trip right now:

1. Staying in a smaller, out of the way hotel. I don’t think I’d like to stay in a glass and steel high rise that screams out “business travelers” or one that is otherwise known as a regular place for many American tourists. Lesser known hotels, off the main avenues, are less likely to be targets. Background note: I stayed in a hotel in Amman, Jordan some years ago. That hotel, and the one where I went to a conference, were two of three targeted by suicide bombers about a year later. Why were those three picked? They were modern, western hotels frequented by international travelers, including Americans. (photo of the hotel where I had stayed the night of bombing, below)

2. I would carefully consider whether to attend events with large numbers of people. In the main, I’d try to avoid getting in the middle of a crowded place with no easy way out.

3. In terms of crowds in general, it isn’t a good idea to get stuck in the middle in any case, since whatever happens, good or bad, will happen around you and without your consent. It is easy to be caught up in a political rally that turns ugly and have no where to turn. As a rule, it is good to stay on the outside of crowds, unless you feel assured of a peaceful outcome. However, this could also represent a separate risk in an explosion, since a suicide bomber might not reach the center. Overall, however, the outside ring of a crowd is always a better place to be.

4. I would try to have some source of updated information about local conditions. If the police start warning of a possible subway attack, for example, I would want to know and avoid the subway, if at all possible. Checking back with someone in the states who regularly is on the Internet looking for news might even be better than trying to deal with language barriers in Europe. News travels fast.

5. Extra vigilance doesn’t hurt, but the chance of anyone spotting a suspicious package or person is very small. Why not keep alert and look around you anyway, just in case? It should be remembered that ordinary citizens have been critical in stopping some attacks. The first line of defense, when all else has failed, is alert citizens.

6. I would make certain to take a working cell phone with me everywhere. Most American cell phones don’t work on the European systems, so I’d either buy a local phone or put a local SIM card in my unlocked, quad band phone. I would want the phone, in part, to be able to call home in an emergency and let my family know I am all right or, otherwise, to say my goodbyes, if the chance came.

7. If one were caught in a terrorist situation, a smart phone, with Internet access, might really make sense. You might be able to get vital information that coul d save your life, such as finding out that terrorist were mainly in one area of your hotel while you were far away. Check with your carrier about whether your phone works this way in Europe. (Be careful of large bills charge automatically to your iPhone, however.)

8. The type of attacks that are being anticipated right now involve multiple, simultaneous targets. Therefore, if I were in my hotel and heard of an attack elsewhere, especially in the same city, I would try to get out immediately. I’d go anywhere, to a cafe, a bar, anywhere and just wait and see what develops. . The terrorists appear to be headed toward attacks at several places at once, with the possibility of a big tourist landmark thrown into the mix for dramatic effect.  I would keep that in mind.

9. I would want to have a plan in mind for what I would do if international flights are grounded for a week or longer. Where would I stay? What if I ran out of money and ATMs were shutdown? These are not huge considerations, but I would want to keep them in mind.

As living beings, we are in danger every moment of our lives. Something could always happen. We don’t think about it and we don’t feel much danger at any given moment throughout a day or even a month. We should put any potential terrorist plot in this perspective. Europe will likely always be an easier target for middle-eastern based terrorists than the United States. Europe is a very big place. Most of us don’t worry about getting hit by lightning, even when it is popping all around us. I wouldn’t worry about traveling to Europe now, either.

Doug Terry, 10.4.10

Note: these terrorist attacks in 2005 outraged the people of Jordan and there have been no further, similar attacks there. The room where I stayed in this hotel was about 40 yards from where the bomb went off during a wedding celebration. The middle east has served as the first testing/training ground for terrorism, Europe has been the launching pad, phase two.

CONTACT THE TERRYREPORT

       HOME PAGE

end