Two American officials revealed that several U.S. military bases across Europe were put on high alert over the weekend, with the force protection level raised to the second-highest level due to concerns of a potential terrorist attack targeting American personnel or military facilities. The officials noted that the bases, including the U.S. Army garrison in Stuttgart, Germany, where U.S. European Command is headquartered, raised the alert status to "Charlie" on Sunday. According to the U.S. Army, this status applies "when an incident occurs or when received intelligence indicates the likelihood of some form of terrorist action or targeting against individuals or facilities."
In this context, one U.S. official stationed at a base in Europe told CNN that they hadn't seen a threat level like this "in at least 10 years," adding that this usually means the military has received "an active and credible threat." U.S. European Command spokesperson Dan Day confirmed to CNN that USEUCOM "continuously evaluates a variety of factors that impact the safety of the American military community abroad." He further stated that "as part of this effort, we often take additional steps to ensure the safety of our service members," noting that "for operational security reasons, we will not discuss specific measures, but we will remain vigilant."
There is no clarity on the specific intelligence that led to tightened security measures. However, European authorities have warned of a potential terrorist threat on the continent, especially ahead of the Paris Olympics in July and during the current UEFA European Championship in Germany. The German government has deployed 580 international police officers to assist with security alongside German officers. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated before the tournament: "We are preparing for all conceivable risks: from terrorism to violent criminals and hooligans."
France has also prepared for a possible terrorist threat for the upcoming Olympics, which begin in less than a month. Since March, France has raised its national security alert system to the highest level, according to the U.S. embassy in France, which stated that "French authorities are actively monitoring the terrorist threats from organized groups and radicalized individuals." It added that "attacks could occur without warning, targeting tourist sites, major sporting and cultural events, and other public areas that attract large numbers of civilians."
