Mauritania
The U.S. Peace Corps is withdrawing volunteers from Mauritania because of safety concerns. The decision follows a bombing Aug. 8 outside the French Embassy that killed the bomber and injured three others, the murder of an American teacher in June by a group with Al Qaeda links and the murder of four French citizens by the same group in December 2007. The Peace Corps office in Nouakchott, the capital, will remain open, but the U.S. Mission advises personnel to avoid areas with significant crowds.
Peru
Armed bandits overwhelmed guards and boarded a luxury tour boat on a cruise up the Ucayali River in the Amazon region Aug. 4, bound the 20 guests and robbed them of cash and valuables. The attack was the second of its kind in two weeks, but police found the gang’s jungle base and retrieved some valuables. Security in the area has been increased, and police believe they will catch the criminals soon. The boat was headed for the Pacaya-Samiria National Reservation, a pristine region of lakes and exotic wildlife.
Spain
Another series of bombings claimed by the Basque separatist group ETA hit the island of Mallorca on Aug. 9. Three small blasts in Palma targeted restaurants and a shopping area beneath the central square but injured no one. The blasts came 10 days after an ETA bombing on Mallorca killed two police officers. Authorities believe the blasts were designed to frighten tourists and undermine the tourism economy.
Tanzania
The U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam continues to receive reports of ATM, debit and credit card fraud, particularly in U.S. dollar-denominated accounts. Police arrested two Bulgarian nationals in Dar es Salaam as suspects, but the problem is so prevalent that the embassy advises Americans to consider the risks of using ATMs throughout the country and to check accounts for unusual activity.
Trinidad and Tobago
Prompted by a knife attack on a retired British couple in Bacolet, Tobago, the British High Commission warned Britons about the high crime rate in the islands. Trinidad is plagued by gang-related violence in inner-city neighborhoods, but violent crime also has occurred at tourist sites, including Ft. George and Pitch Lake (tar pit). In Tobago, owners and renters of villas have been assaulted in the villas. Visitors should stay only in those that have adequate security, including external lighting and 24-hour guard service. The U.S. State Department has similar warnings.
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Compiled from various news services and travel sources. For the latest on world conditions, check the State Department’s automated service at 888-407-4747; fax, 202-647-3000; travel.state.gov.
