Security issues

Mexico: Kidnapping of U.S. Citizens Up in Baja

Date: February 14th, 2008 |

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Kidnapping of U.S. citizens in Tijuana, Rosarito Beach and Ensenada has increased in the past year, with some 26 San Diego County residents taken hostage in 2007 compared to 11 in 2006. Most of the victims had business interests or family members in Mexico and thus were attractive targets, but all visitors should use common [read more]

Egypt, Gaza, Israel: Border Crisis Stirs Tensions Between Egypt, Hamas, Palestinian Authority

Date: January 30th, 2008 |

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Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians poured into Egypt after Hamas militants blew open the border partition between Gaza and the Egyptian city of Rafah Jan. 23, relieving tensions in Gaza but creating tensions in Egypt. For the past six months Gaza has been blockaded by Israel because of almost daily rocket attacks on Israeli border [read more]

Kenya: Political Crisis, Violence Continue

Date: January 30th, 2008 |

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Violence stemming from Kenya’s disputed presidential election continued to plague the country, especially in the Rift Valley. Naivasha, a town popular with tourists and expatriates just 55 miles northwest of Nairobi, was overrun by murderous gangs over the weekend and tourists had to be escorted to Nairobi from nearby lodges. The killing of an opposition [read more]

India: Puri Police to Require Tourists to Report Their Travel Plans

Date: January 10th, 2008 |

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Police in Orissa’s temple city of Puri are going to enforce a law seldom obeyed that requires foreign tourists to inform police of their travel plans outside the city. Hotels now need to file guest lists with police and inform visitors of their need to reveal their plans. An assault on a German tourist by [read more]

Trinidad and Tobago: More Soldiers to Patrol with Police until Carnival

Date: December 26th, 2007 |

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The national security ministry mobilized soldiers to join police patrols from Christmas through Carnival in February in response to rising crime. The soldiers will help police patrol cities and towns, especially malls and shopping areas, entertainment centers and beaches. Officials expect that the military presence will deter criminals. Further, in response to a wave of [read more]

Kenya: Violence Prompts Peace Corps to Suspend Operations

Date: February 7th, 2008 |

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Ongoing post-election violence that has often become ethnic prompted the U.S. Peace Corps to suspend its operations in Kenya. The Peace Corps announced the decision Feb. 5 to withdraw its remaining 58 volunteers after sending home 86 in January. Tourism has dropped to a trickle and foreign companies are considering pulling out, which would deal [read more]

India: Government to Deploy Retired Military to Protect Foreign Tourists

Date: January 30th, 2008 |

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Still reeling from a series of sexual assaults on foreign women in recent weeks, India’s federal government has decided to deploy thousands of retired defense personnel to provide security for foreign tourists. Some 60,000 servicemen retire each year. Dedicated security phone numbers will be introduced in all major tourist areas, and the courts will put [read more]

South Africa: Power Failures Affect Table Mountain Cable Car; Armed Attacks Near Kruger Park

Date: January 24th, 2008 |

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Load-shedding by the national electricity company caused the cable car running up Cape Town’s Table Mountain to stall just short of its docking station, stranding some 900 tourists on the peak for three hours. The cable system’s backup power supply failed but everyone was safely evacuated in an hour with no injuries, only inconveniences. The [read more]

Belgium: Security Tightened in Brussels after Police Quash Jailbreak Plan

Date: December 26th, 2007 |

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Police increased security in Brussels Dec. 21 when they uncovered a plan by suspected Islamists to free an imprisoned al-Qaeda sympathizer. Police arrested 14 suspects involved in the plot that allegedly included a possible Christmas attack using weapons and explosives. As a precaution, security was tightened in public places such as the metro system, railways [read more]

India: Security Tightened in Delhi

Date: December 6th, 2007 |

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Security has been tightened in Delhi after intelligence reports revealed that two militant Islamic groups may be planning attacks in the city. The reports, released Dec. 3, warned that attacks could take place within two weeks, with the main threat in marketplaces and crowded areas such as malls and transit stations. Police have deployed bomb [read more]