The United States on Friday issued a fresh travel alert for Americans
attending the Sochi Winter Olympics, citing cyber-security threats and
warning them to have "no expectation of privacy" using Russian
communications networks.
The U.S. State Department's alert - coming
the same day that Turkish security forces in Istanbul seized a Ukrainian
man accused of trying to hijack an airliner and redirect it to Sochi -
updates one issued two weeks ago.
"U.S. travelers should be aware
of cyber-security threats and understand that they have no expectation of
privacy when sharing sensitive or personal information utilizing
Russian electronic communication networks," the department said.
The
warning comes in the middle of a controversy in which U.S. officials
blame Russia for the Internet leak of recordings of a senior State
Department official and the U.S. ambassador discussing a possible future
government for Ukraine.
Victoria Nuland, a high-ranking U.S.
diplomat, is heard on the recording using an expletive to tell the
ambassador it would be better if a new Ukrainian government is backed by
the United Nations than the EU.
The State Department alert also
said that "Russian police officers have the authority to stop people and
request identity and travel documents at any time and without cause."
The alert strongly advised Americans in Sochi to carry at all times
their passports, Russian visas and other important documents.
Officials
said on Thursday that the U.S. Transportation Security Administration
was temporarily banning carry-on liquids, aerosols, gels and powders on
flights between Russia and the United States.
The State Department
reiterated that U.S. citizens attending the Olympics "should remain
attentive regarding their personal security at all times" and that such
events represent an "attractive target for terrorists."
The Winter
Olympics formally opened on Friday. Several U.S. and European security
officials have said that last-minute intelligence reports about possible
Olympics-related attacks continue to flow into Western agencies.
© Thomson Reuters 2014