Kenyan terror threat prompts evacuation of UK tourists
Hundreds of British tourists are being evacuated from Kenya after the Foreign Office warned there was a "high threat" from terrorists in the country.
Tour operators Thomson and First Choice cancelled all flights to Mombasa until October and said holidaymakers would be flown back as a precautionary measure.
As many as 500 people are affected, the Telegraph newspaper reported.
The FCO said the main threat came from extremists linked to the militant Islamist al-Shabab group.
It advised against all non-essential travel to anywhere within 37 miles (60km) of the Kenyan-Somali border.
Thomson said those already in the country would be flown out either overnight on Thursday or later on Friday.
Tourists have also been warned to avoid the Mombasa Island area, but the FCO said its advice did not include the Diani beach resort or Moi (Mombasa) airport.
The United States, France and Australia issued similar alerts, prompting the Kenyan government to criticise the advice as "obviously unfriendly".
Fearing the impact on the country's tourism industry, Interior Ministry spokesman Mwenda Njoka said: "The threats are perpetual, we are at war. But we have not received any specific threat on the hotels."
British tourist Matilda Evan told the Reuters news agency: "Six days of my holiday have gone to waste just like that.
"But again, when your government tells you to leave for security reasons, what else can do you do?"
Augustine Conall told journalists at Mombasa's Moi International Airport he was worried his insurance would now be invalid.
"Our families are also worried and are calling us and telling us to go back," Reuters reported him saying.
Vigilance
Al-Shabab have carried out a spate of attacks in the region in response to the Kenyan military's intervention in Somalia.
"There is a high threat from terrorism, including kidnapping," according to the Foreign Office travel advice.
"There has been a spate of small-scale grenade, bomb and armed attacks in Nairobi (especially the area of Eastleigh), Mombasa, and North Eastern Province.
"You should take care in public places where people gather, and exercise a heightened level of vigilance. "
Three people were killed and more than 80 wounded in explosions on two buses in the capital Nairobi earlier this month.
The Kenyan government said al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, was behind the attacks.
The the most high profile of the group's recent attacks saw 67 people killed when its fighters stormed the Westgate shopping centre in September.
Thomson said customers due to fly to Mombasa before November should contact its call centre or their travel agent.
"We understand that many customers will be very disappointed about the cancellation of their holiday to Kenya," the company said.
"However, in these types of situations we have to follow the FCO advice."
Customers travelling on a Thomson Airways flight-only booking were advised to contact the airline's resort office on +254 (0) 716979338 or its 24-hour holiday line +44 2476 282228.
That is hilarious. I think Karma is a bitaach! 
U went after innocent Somali refugees and there u loose tourism--the ONLY main cash flow for the country. A NEGRO mind is a small one indeed. 
this guy has issues.
