Department of Homeland Bureaucracy
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| Fri, 12-19-2003 - 2:19pm |
"Authorities are evaluating a surge of information related to possible terrorist threats to a number of cities in the United States, including New York City, Los Angeles and Washington D.C., ABCNEWS has learned. "
"Sources say the threat to New York City possibly involves a female suicide bomber, but no specific target has been identified. Intelligence sources are still evaluating the credibility of this threat. "
So as I'm sitting here in NYC a bit worried about my commute home (it's the first night of Hanukkah), the Department of Homeland Security is planning to evaluate this new threat at a meeting (...here comes the kicker...) to be held on Monday.
If the threat is found to be credible, we might be put on Orange alert, which means that President Bush will go on vacation.
Here's the link:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/World/threat_newyork_031219.html
Here's most of the article:
U.S. Intelligence Learn of Possible Threats to New York and Other Cities
Dec. 19— Authorities are evaluating a surge of information related to possible terrorist threats to a number of cities in the United States, including New York City, Los Angeles and Washington D.C., ABCNEWS has learned.
Threat information is coming from intelligence intercepts, interrogation of recent detainees and other methods, intelligence sources say. Intelligence and law enforcement officials are currently evaluating the threat information.
Sources say the threat to New York City possibly involves a female suicide bomber, but no specific target has been identified. Intelligence sources are still evaluating the credibility of this threat.
In the threats received for other cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., no mode of attack has been identified and no location or specific cells were named.
Senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security, intelligence and law enforcement have a planned meeting Monday to evaluate the recent surge in information related to possible terror threats.
Officials around the nation were already actively engaged in serious discussions with the Department of Homeland Security about whether events, chatter, and the time of year warrant elevating the threat level inside the United States to orange for the upcoming holiday season that starts tonight at sunset.

I think it's a given that there'll be alerts of potencial attacks during holiday times or events where large crowds gather.
>"Today in New York City, law enforcement officials began finalizing their plans for the New Year's security package, which will include the welding shut of manhole covers, the removal of post office boxes, and the preparation of a rodeo-like series of pens and gates that funnel backpack-less revelers into the area along Broadway."<
What an huge expence for NY city!
High-Alert Holidays
A series of arrests in Britain and Europe stokes fears of a terrorist surge timed to the Christmas season.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101031222-561279,00.html
The small, anxious-looking man who stood before a judge last week in London's Central Criminal Court hardly resembled the feral terrorist British police are linking him to. But Saajid Badat, 24, faces charges of having conspired with fellow Briton and convicted shoe bomber Richard Reid, who tried to blow up an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami in December 2001. And Badat is just one of 21 people detained by British police in the past three weeks under antiterrorism laws (some suspects have since been released).
All across Europe, in fact, it is a busy time in the war on terrorism. German police two weeks ago announced the arrest of an Iraqi, 29, identified only as Mohammed L. He is suspected of having dispatched a dozen radicals from Germany to Iraq to carry out suicide attacks against U.S. troops. More than 5,000 police officers
Pentagon official: Attacks using airliners a major concern.
Air France flights to and from Los Angeles, California, were canceled Wednesday amid fears of a possible terrorist strike.
Air France flights 68 and 70 from Paris to Los Angeles and Thursday's flight 68 to Los Angeles, were grounded. The decision came after consultation between U.S. and French authorities, a senior U.S. official said.
More.............
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/12/24/threat.level/index.html
cl-Libraone
Tight borders pen illegals at Christmas.
An increasing number of migrant workers and other illegal immigrants from Mexico who used to go home for the holidays are spending Christmas in the United States, largely because of tighter security along the border.
Many of them could cross into Mexico easily enough if they wanted to. But they are afraid they would not be able to get back into the United States.
It is a sea change in the once-predictable flow of migrant workers and other mostly unskilled, seasonal laborers.
The effect is clear in Northern California's Napa Valley, where farmhands once packed for Mexico after harvesting prized wine grapes. The vines are now bare, but many workers are still hanging around, looking for odd jobs and finding refuge at the Rev. John Brenkle's St. Helena Roman Catholic Church.
More.........
ITA, Eventually, these alerts will be regarded as just another exercise--and the public will go on with their business. What bothers me is that states are having financial troubles and they basically foot the bill. Must be nice to create havoc without paying the consequences.
Is it really necessary to put the whole country on alert if a potential threat
It is so much easier and safer for your position if you pass the decision along. When there is no price to be paid for being wrong and a high price for being right, frighten the whole country and save your job.
That's the #1 job of any government seat/official. Everything else is secondary.