The advisory may be precautionary but it should not be discounted, especially since President Barack Obama has hinted he might travel to South Africa if the American team advances into the second round.
"There is a heightened risk that extremist groups will conduct terrorist acts within South Africa in the near future," the department said in an alert Thursday. "While a number of terrorist threats against the World Cup in South Africa have appeared in the media in recent weeks and months, the U.S. government has no information on any specific, credible threat of attack that any individual or group is planning to coincide with the tournament."
The State Department said it would make any information public on "a specific and credible threat."
The alert cautioned Americans not to rely on public transportation in South Africa as it is
"poorly developed." The alternative, suggested the State Dept., is to use private transportation of
rental cars. Americans are advised to leave "room for an exit" when stopped at intersections or
traffic lights as this is a common tactic in abductions overseas.
American citizens have purchased more tickets than fans of any of the 31 nations traveling to South Africa for the World Cup. Organizers expect more than 300,000 visitors to South Africa.
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