Tuesday, February 02, 2010

MOFA raises travel alert for Indonesia, U.K.

Taipei, Feb. 2 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has elevated its travel alert level for Indonesia and the United Kingdom (U.K.) over concerns of potential terrorist attacks, the ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

The ministry has elevated the travel alert level for Indonesia and the U.K. to yellow, the second lowest on the MOFA's four-scale system, and also issued a red travel alert, the highest on the scale, for Iraq.

The MOFA said Indonesia, and especially Bali which attracts the most Taiwanese tourists, could possibly be targeted for a terrorist attack.

The ministry issued the new alert for Britain after the U.K.'s Home Office raised its domestic terrorism threat level in late January from substantial to severe, the second highest in its five-tier threat warning system, which means an attack is highly likely.

A yellow alert warns travelers to take extra precautions and reassess their travel plans for the place in question.

The terrorist group Al Qaida could also possibly launch attacks in Iraq, prompting the ministry to issue the highest red alert before the country holds its parliamentary elections on March 7. The ministry again advised Taiwanese travelers against visiting the Middle East country.