The organisers of Bath’s Christmas Market say they have asked staff to be ‘extra vigilant’ throughout the 18 days of the market following a story in The Times this morning reporting Jihadist plots for European Christmas markets.
The Times reports that American authorities have warned that Islamist jihadists are planning terror attacks in Europe at upcoming Christmas events.
Both Islamic State and al-Qaeda are planning to target European festivities, according to “credible information” from the American state department.
The warning comes after French counterterrorist police arrested seven people in Marseilles and Strasbourg, feared to have been targeting the upcoming Strasbourg Christmas Market.
The suspects, some of whom are believed to have fought in Syria, were awaiting a weapons delivery, according to Le Parisien.
The warning from America focusses on “the holiday season and associated events”, including organised attacks such as those in Paris last November and in Brussels in March, as well as ‘lone-wolf’ attacks.
Christmas markets in Europe have been targeted before. In 2014 a van driver deliberately ploughed into a Christmas market in Nantes. Armed police were visibly guarding Germany’s markets last year.
The organisers of the Bath Christmas Market, VisitBath, issued the following statement: “VisitBath has an established set of security measures and emergency plans in place for the full duration of the market.
“As the major event organisers of the market we will always liaise with Emergency Planning and the emergency services in terms of any additional security measures.
“The security of visitors to the market is always of paramount importance to us and staff are always asked to be extra vigilant throughout the 18 days of the market.”
