HAMBURG, Germany, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Germans living in Lebanon are in danger because of Berlin's participation in an international stability mission in Lebanon.
The Bundeswehr's contribution to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, which was tasked to stabilize the country after the July war with Israel, caused some radical Lebanese groups to develop a "changed and partly hostile view" of Germany and the Germans living in Lebanon, the German Embassy in Beirut said in a letter.
Hamburg-based news magazine Der Spiegel said the basis of the letter is a report by intelligence services that cited possible attacks against German citizens and the German Embassy in the country.
Germany's foreign affairs office said that "hostilities and violent attacks against Germans living in Lebanon" couldn't be ruled out. It has advised not to commit to "unnecessary travels" and remain in "well-known and secure places" during work, the news magazine said.
Since Oct. 16, 2006, the German navy has six ships with roughly 1,500 soldiers on board patrolling the Lebanese coast in a bid to prevent weapons smuggling to the Hezbollah organization.
