The United States of America has raised the force protection condition level (FPCON) at its European bases to Charlie, the second highest of five. According to DI (Diário Insular newspaper), the measure was also implemented at Lajes Base.
The military newspaper Stars and Stripes reported the news on Sunday and reiterated it in several international media outlets, from the Associated Press to ABC News and the Independent.
In a statement quoted by several media outlets, the US European Command said that various factors related to the safety and security of the bases are constantly being assessed.
“For reasons of operational security, we will not go into specific measures, but we remain vigilant,” said the European command.
According to the Associated Press, the increase in the threat level could be the result of a combination of events taking place in Europe, such as the elections in France and the United Kingdom, the Olympic Games in Paris, which begin on July 26, among other sporting events, and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.


The agency heard from US officials, on condition of anonymity, who said they were unaware of any specific threat.
According to AP, the Charlie category is declared “when an incident occurs, or information is received indicating that some form of terrorist action or attacks against military personnel or facilities is likely to occur.”
The level above Charlie, Delta, the highest of the five, is applied when a terrorist attack has occurred or information indicates that terrorist action against a person or place is imminent.
Raising the threat level should imply additional security measures, but according to AP, these will be at the discretion of each commander. According to sources from the agency, military personnel and their families must remain vigilant and discreet.
The military newspaper Stars and Stripes reports that several bases in Germany, Italy, Romania, and Bulgaria have raised their threat level.
In some cases, military personnel have been banned from wearing their uniforms outside the base as a precaution.
At one German base, non-essential personnel are also expected to be reduced or teleworked, and various services, such as restaurants and barbershops, will be restricted.
Stars and Stripes points out that in recent weeks, the US authorities have been on alert due to the increase in terrorist threats resulting from the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7 and the ongoing war in Gaza.
According to several international media outlets, Charlie’s alert level has not been raised for at least 10 years.

In Diário Insular, José Lourenço-director

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