Australia And US Warn Tourists Travelling To Northern Ireland
Australia And US Warn Tourists Travelling To Northern Ireland
27 August 2010Australian and US governments have issued a warning to citizens travelling to Northern Ireland, following four bomb attacks this month.
Two bombs were defused in County Down on 4th and 8th August and a car bomb exploded outside a police station in Londonderry on 3rd August. Another bomb exploded in a bin in Lurgan, County Armagh, on 14th August, injuring three children.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have advised tourists to take "extreme caution", after a recent upsurge in dissident republican attacks and parade related riots across Northern Ireland.
The government also warned citizens of bomb attacks aimed at police and military targets saying, "Australians could inadvertently be caught up in violence directed at others (and therefore should) avoid all protests and demonstrations as they may turn violent."
Meanwhile, The United States Bureau of Consular Affairs said: "US citizens travelling to Northern Ireland should remain alert to their surroundings and should be aware that if they choose to visit potential flashpoints or attend parades, sporadic violence remains a possibility."
Despite this, South Down MP, Margaret Ritchie, said the travel advice was "an over-reaction" and that Northern Ireland will remain "open for business."
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