Several US military bases in Europe have been put on high alert due to the threat of terrorist attacks on US military personnel or facilities.
Points of attention
- "Charlie" status is introduced for bases where there is an increased probability of a terrorist attack or an attack on US personnel or facilities.
- The US military in Europe has been claiming to prevent such an equal threat for at least 10 years.
- US European Command has implemented additional security measures to ensure the safety of the military community abroad.
- As the Euro 2024 soccer tournament and the Summer Olympics approach, Berlin and Paris are expressing outrage over a possible terrorist threat.
Several US bases in Europe are on high alert
US military bases were put on high alert over the weekend, according to two US officials, whom CNN has not named. The level of their protection was increased to the second highest.
Among the bases that have raised the level of readiness to "Charlie" status is the US Army Garrison in Stuttgart, Germany, where the headquarters of the US European Command is located.
As CNN explains, the "Charlie" status is entered when an incident has occurred or intelligence has been received that indicates the possibility of a terrorist attack or an attack on US personnel or facilities.
One US official based at a base in Europe told CNN that they had not seen this level of threat "for at least 10 years", adding that this usually means the military is aware of an "active threat".
U.S. European Command spokesman Dan Day declined to comment on specific levels of protection for U.S. forces, but said the command "continually evaluates a number of factors that affect the security of the U.S. military community abroad."
As part of this effort, we often take extra measures to ensure the safety of our employees. For reasons of operational security, we will not resort to specific measures, but we remain vigilant, he noted.
What preceded it
It will be recalled that the Euro-2024 football tournament is currently being held in Germany, and the Summer Olympic Games will begin in France at the beginning of July.
On the eve of these events, Berlin and Paris expressed concern about the threat of terrorist acts. The French special services even recommended canceling the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
In March, Germany and France agreed to jointly provide security at Euro 2024 and the Olympics.
