Be Afriad! Foreign Office issues worldwide terrorism warning for British tourists

British holidaymakers travelling anywhere in the world have been told to be vigilant as they are at risk of being attacked by Islamist terrorists.

The Foreign Office on Friday night issued a worldwide travel warning, saying tourists were at a risk of attack as a result of Britain's intervention in Iraq and Syria.

The warning applies to every country in the world, and the FCO updated travel guidance on its website. It reflects a "generalised threat" to Britons, rather than intelligence of a specific and credible attack.

The warning states: "There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time."

In August the domestic terror threat level was raised to "severe", its second-high level, amid growing concern that British jihadists fighting alongside Isil could return to carry out attacks in this country.

Up to 500 Britons are thought to have travelled to the Middle East to fight, and there have been a spate of arrests in recent weeks related to suspected terrorism offences.

On Wednesday a 21-year-old man from Hackney, east London, was arrested on suspicion of assisting another to engage in acts of terrorism by facilitating travel abroad.

Earlier this month a court heard that four British Islamists who had sworn allegiance to Isil, also known as the Islamic State, were plotting to killed police officers or soldiers in a drive-by shooting.

That was followed last week by the fatal shooting of a ceremonial guard in Ottawa, Canada. The gunman then entered the Canadian Parliament before being shot dead.

In response, infantry armed with assault rifles have been placed alongside Whitehall's ceremonial cavalrymen in London.

A heightened security presence is expected for next week's Remembrance Day commemorations.

The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Syria and the northern half of Iraq.

It warns tourists to Turkey to avoid any travel to within 10 km of the Syrian border, and all but essential travel to the southern provinces. There is a risk of "indiscriminate" attacks in places visited by tourists in the rest of the country.

Earlier this month two police officers were killed in a suspected terror attack in Bingol in the country's south east.

The FCO also advises against travel to much of Egypt beyond the popular Nile valley.