Britons at 'higher risk' of terrorist attack in war

The Government warned Britons across the world yesterday that they faced a heightened risk of terrorist attacks during a war with Iraq.

A statement from the Foreign Office made clear that terrorist attacks were a serious possibility, not just in high-risk destinations but in popular tourist resorts across the globe. "The risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks in public places, including tourist sites, will be especially high during military action in Iraq," a Foreign Office spokesman said. "You should be vigilant, take sensible precautions, be aware of local sensibilities, monitor the media and check our travel advice for the country you live in or plan to visit."

The Government also issued a final warning to Britons still in Iraq, including journalists, to leave the country immediately. A spokesman said: "While we make every effort to minimise the risk of collateral damage from proximity to possible targets, some residual risk will always remain."

Travellers were urged to avoid Jordan, which borders Iraq, and Britons remaining in Kuwait, Israel and the occupied territories, Jordan, Bahrain, Syria, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia were told to follow instructions issued by local emergency services in the event of chemical or biological attacks.

In the UK, the Home Office issued updated advice telling people to buy bottled water and canned food, and listen to battery-powered radios in the event of a terrorist attack.

The material was published as ministers announced that a large-scale exercise to test the response of emergency services to a chemical or biological attack on the London Underground, due to take place on Sunday, had been postponed.

The Home Office bulletin said: "The principal threats come from international terrorism and, in particular, extremist groups, including those who erroneously claim to be acting for Islam. We are aware of the risk of ... terrorist groupings seeking to exploit action against Saddam Hussein's regime by further attacks."

Working under the formula of "go in, stay in, tune in", the online advice told people to immediately head for their homes or any other safe location in the event of an attack.

Homeowners should have bought basic supplies and made sure they could receive information on a battery-powered or wind-up radio, it said.

The website said: "It is sensible to be prepared for any emergency in the home and to make plans for any major disruption, including severe weather and floods."

But the advice also sought to calm fears about extremists operating within Britain, saying that there were "no plans" to intern or detain Iraqi citizens resident in the United Kingdom. An internment policy during the 1991 Gulf War, which led to 91 Arab nationals being held without trial in a camp on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, was widely derided after it emerged that most of the detainees were opponents of President Saddam's regime.

Sales of gas masks increased in London yesterday. One supplier said that sales had risen from 10 to 100 a week since the Iraq crisis began. He said he expected sales to hit 300 once the war began.

Terrorism experts criticised the Home Office message, saying it failed to go beyond what common sense dictated. Bill Durodie, of the Centre for Defence Studies at King's College London, said: "Since 11 September, governments have wanted to be seen to be doing things. Whether or not these measures have any practical use is questionable – it is a sort of spin for emergencies."