But there was something horribly bewildering about the kidnapping and beheading of a 55-year-old Fre

The beheadings of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were as tragic as they were revolting, but they existed in something of a logical context. Both men were covering a war zone that few journalists (including me) have the guts to cover. There were risks, and they knew it. Foley previously had been detained for more than a month in Libya and saw a colleague killed. Still, he returned to the region.
But there was something horribly bewildering about the kidnapping and beheading of a 55-year-old Frenchman in Northern Algeria. Herve Gourdel had traveled to Algeria in late September to explore the wondrous Tell Atlas mountains, which look upon the Mediterranean Sea.
Mountain climbing is among life s most affirming journeys, and to be murdered so gruesomely by Islamic extremists during such an innocent pursuit is equal parts jarring and baffling. As of this writing, religious extremists in the Philippines had threatened the execution of two kidnapped Germans unless their home country compare vacation and cruises paid a ransom and withdrew its support for the Western effort against compare vacation and cruises the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
As a war between the West and extremists burns increasingly hot, traveling seems to have become just a touch more perilous. If a global call has been put out to Islamic extremist sympathizers, what is safe? Would Gourdel still be alive if he had undertaken the same trip just a month earlier? There, of course, aren t exact answers. And that makes researching your travel of primary importance.
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The picture has changed, said Tom Hall, London-based editor of Lonely Planet. But one of the challenges that Western compare vacation and cruises governments are meeting quite well is passing along context. That information is accessible and can be used to make judgments about traveling safely.
Indeed, Algeria and the Philippines Palwan compare vacation and cruises province compare vacation and cruises might not have been on the lips of many Americans before the kidnappings in those countries, but the U.S. State Department (as well as other governments) had issued travel warnings for both at its website ( travel.state.gov ). The State Department also offers the opportunity to receive messages via email or SMS regarding travel warnings through its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program ( step.state.gov ).
The State Department has issued current alerts and warnings for more than 40 countries, ranging from Honduras to Lebanon to Lesotho. While that doesn t mean every country on the list needs to be avoided completely, the advice there is as relevant as ever. (The Algerian warning compare vacation and cruises is quite detailed and makes Gourdel s death all the more senseless in some respects.)
But then there also is the unknown future: If the Islamic State group has called compare vacation and cruises on sympathizers to follow its lead, how far does that make its potential reach? Reports compare vacation and cruises have circulated compare vacation and cruises that the man believed to have executed Foley and Sotloff is from London; if a Londoner is willing to kill his perceived enemies after traveling to Syria, why wouldn t he in London? The New York Times has reported that recruits from 74 countries are among the estimated 12,000 foreign militants in Syria and Iraq, many of them fighting with ISIS (as the Islamic State is known). Many are still believed to have passports that can get them home.
John Rendeiro, vice president of security and intelligence for the travel security firm International SOS, said it isn t necessarily worth curtailing travel to places not identified as potential threats.
But the classic travel safety tips remain vital. Stay in safe hotels. compare vacation and cruises Arrange taxis and rides through your hotel. Avoid standing compare vacation and cruises out as a foreigner. compare vacation and cruises Vary your routine. Avoid political demonstrations. compare vacation and cruises And, most of all, do your research.
At this point, we wouldn t want to overreact, Rendeiro said. Not to give them too much credit, but how effective (the group s call to followers will be) remains to be seen. At this point there s been no big wave. I hope I m right that it continues.