Terror Hysteria – or is it?

Let’s be fair – it really is hysteria. The US DoS has issued an alert to say that travelers should be…ehm… alert when they travel to Europe. The alert cites previous attacks as the reason behind it;

“Terrorists have targeted and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation and maritime services. U.S. citizens should take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling.”

Overhyping, fear mongering and hysteria is all it is – yes, there’s always a threat of terrorist attacks, and yes, there are times at which intelligence reports will indicate that the danger is higher than at other times, but the alerts that are now being issued are just a revamp of the 2007 incidents, where media blew up and fell all over themselves blabbering about the “highly sophisticated” attacks that were carried out back then. Attacks that were described by Scotland Yard detective John O’Connor as “hopeless,” “incompetent” “almost laughable,” and amounting to nothing more than a bonfire”.

There are reports that the incoming attacks will be “commando-like” strikes with small teams aimed at “pre-security” airport and airline lobby targets. Okay… we’ll see.