The U.S. Embassy in Germany said Friday it was increasing security at its facilities in the country in response to a "heightened threat situation."
"U.S. diplomatic and consular facilities in Germany are increasing their security posture," the embassy said in a statement sent by email.
"We are taking these steps in response to a heightened threat situation. The U.S. Embassy encourages Americans in Germany to increase their vigilance and take appropriate steps to bolster their own personal security."
Contacted by Reuters, an official at the embassy said the announcement was related to an increased threat of terrorism, but declined to comment on whether the measures were taken in response to a specific new threat in Germany.
"As German authorities, including most recently the BKA (federal police) in March, have consistently noted Germany faces an increased threat of terrorism, U.S. government facilities consistently assess their security posture," the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Germany has not suffered the kind of major attack in recent years that countries like Spain and Britain have experienced, but government and intelligence officials have urged vigilance in recent months.
Earlier this month, the State Department issued a “Worldwide Caution” saying there had been no change from previous warnings about the possibility of al-Qaida attacks in Europe, Asia, Africa or the Middle East.
“These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics to include assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings and bombings,” the statement said.
