The US State Department issued a warning to its citizens who travel abroad following last week's Sydney Café hostage standoff. The statement, which was posted on the department's website on Friday, reminds US citizens that "they should be extra cautious, maintain a very high level of vigilance, and take appropriate steps to enhance their personal security." On Monday, a gunman in Sydney, Australia took 17 people hostage at a café. The standoff ended 16 hours later in a barrage of gunfire that left two hostages and the Iranian-born gunman dead. The US State Department said the Sydney attack suggests that terrorists not only focused on targeting US government facilities but also public venues such as hotels, schools... during or coinciding with the holiday season. The US-issued travel alert expires on 19 March, 2015. In August 2013 the US issued a similar alert to its nationals in anticipation of the possibility of terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda or groups linked to it. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/118403.aspx
