The US military has raised the alert level at some bases in Europe to the second-highest level, several US media outlets reported on Sunday. ABC News and CNN both reported, citing unnamed officials, that US bases across Europe had been raised to the “Charlie” alert level.
The highest level, “Delta”, is applied when a terrorist attack has occurred or is about to occur. Contacted by AFP, US European Command (USEUCOM) did not confirm the change in status, but said. “We remain vigilant.”
Meanwhile, the Pentagon said that “US European Command is redoubling its efforts to increase vigilance during the summer months due to concerns that it could potentially affect the safety of US service members and their families deployed in the European theater.”
The US State Department has advised American citizens currently in Germany to exercise extra caution due to terrorism. USEUCOM also has its headquarters in Germany.
Although no specific threat was mentioned, European countries have been on alert since gunmen killed nearly 150 people outside Moscow in March. The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attack.
France has also increased its vigilance ahead of the Paris Olympics, while Germany is currently hosting an international football tournament.