Americans warned of possible terror attacks in Turkey

US Embassy in Istanbul issues a new, updated security warning, alerting US citizens of possible violent attacks

Late last week, several western diplomatic missions in Turkey, including the US, German, French and Italian embassies, issued security alerts for their citizens, warning about possible retaliatory attacks after the Koran-burning incidents in Sweden, Netherlands and Denmark, and advising the westerners to “avoid crowds and demonstrations.”

Danish-Swedish lawyer, Rasmus Paludan, who heads the Stram Kurs (Hard Line) party in Denmark, torched a total of three copies of the Islamic holy book on Friday.

Paludan said he was doing so in “disgust at the ideology and religion of Islam.” The activist also said he would continue burning Korans in front of the Turkish diplomatic mission in the Danish capital until Ankara consents to Sweden’s accession to NATO.

Turkish embassy in Copenhagen condemned Paludan’s protest as a “hate crime.” 

Today, the Unites States Embassy in Turkey issued a new, updated security warning, alerting US citizens of possible violent attacks against places of warship and diplomatic missions.

According to today’s warning from the US diplomatic mission, Americans, currently in Turkey, should be aware of “possible imminent retaliatory attacks by terrorists” that could take place in the locations frequented by Westerners, particularly Istanbul‘s Beyoglu, Galata, Taksim, and Istiklal districts.

Turkish authorities have been informed about possible attack dangers and are investigating the matter, the embassy added.

Turkey, in turn, has warned its citizens over the weekend about “possible Islamophobic, xenophobic and racist attacks” in the United States and Europe.

Turkey’s foreign ministry had issued two separate travel alerts, advising Turkish citizens in the US and Europe to “act calmly in the face of possible…harassment and attacks” and to “stay away from areas where demonstrations may intensify.”

Current surge in “anti-Islam and racist acts” demonstrates the dangerous spike of religious intolerance and hatred in the West, the ministry added.