The U.S. government issued multiple new terror bulletins and travel warnings on Friday in the aftermath of the Paris massacres, reported the Washington Times.
A joint FBI-Homeland Security Department bulletin to 18,000 local law enforcement departments warned police that the French terrorists who attacked the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper “demonstrated a greater degree of sophistication and advanced weapons handling than seen in previous coordinated small-arms attacks” and “acted with confidence and exhibited skill in weapons handling."
The State Department, meanwhile, updated its world travel warning for the first time in three months, warning Americans traveling in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and other hot spots that they could face terrorist attacks.
“Extremists may elect to use conventional or non-conventional weapons, and target both official and private interests,” it warned. “Examples of such targets include high-profile sporting events, residential areas, business offices, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas, shopping malls, and other tourist destinations both in the United States and abroad where U.S. citizens gather in large numbers, including during holidays.”
The FBI said its bulletin was “part of our continuous dialogue with the law enforcement and intelligence community.”
“We urge the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to law enforcement,” it said.
The Bureau has sent out similar reminders to law enforcement agencies in the past, including following a murderous attack last month at a coffee shop in Sydney, Australia.