'Hizbullah planning to kidnap travelers'

Anti-terror officials issue warnings to Israelis ahead of holiday season.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
sinai 88 298 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
sinai 88 298
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
Anti-terror officials on Sunday warned of a potentially severe threat that Hizbullah will attempt to kidnap Israeli tourists during next month's holiday period. Israelis were advised to be on highest alert while holidaying abroad and not to take unnecessary risks. The countries described as having the highest level of risk, defined as "concrete and severe," were: Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Sudan. Israelis were urged to avoid traveling to those countries at all costs and to leave immediately if they were currently located there. Officials said that regions with a "very high concrete risk" were: Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, northern India's Kashmir region, the Mindanou Islands in the Philippines and Russia's Chechnya region. South Thailand, from the area between Thammarat and Krabi until the Malaysian border, was a region in which the terror threat was described as being "high." Kenya, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Morocco were defined as having a "basic concrete terror threat." Bangkok's Kwasan Street area and southeast Turkey were defined as regions where there was an "ongoing potential risk." Meanwhile, a general warning was issued to Israelis traveling to the Philippines, Thailand, Turkey and Uzbekistan to demonstrate alertness and to exercise caution.