Britain warns of UAE terror attack threat

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- The British Foreign Office has warned its nationals -- traveling to or living in the United Arab Emirates -- about the increased threat of a terrorist attack.

The alert, posted on its Web site, urged Britons in the oil-rich Gulf kingdom to be vigilant -- especially in public places -- because of a "high threat of terrorism."

The UAE is among the most moderate Gulf states and is home to thousands of expatriates.

"We believe terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the UAE," the Foreign Office statement read.

"Attacks could be indiscriminate and could happen at any time, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers such as residential compounds, military, oil, transport and aviation interests."

By Monday, the U.S. State Department had not issued any warnings about the UAE.

The UAE, slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Maine, is in the midst of a building boom to position itself as one of the world's premier tourist destinations. It is already home to the world's largest mall, the world's largest tower, and -- despite being in the Middle East -- boasts the largest indoor snow park in the world.

According to the British Foreign Office, more than a million British visitors traveled to the UAE in 2006, while over 100,000 British nationals live there.

The country is an ally in the United States' "war on terror," and its ports host more U.S. Navy ships than any port outside the U.S., according to the U.S. State Department.

Two of the attackers who took part in the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington came from the UAE. And it was among a handful of countries that recognized the fundamentalist Taliban regime before the September 11 attacks.

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