Nation's Threat Level Rising to Orange
By JENNIFER C. KERR, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The government on Sunday raised the national threat level to orange, the second-highest, saying attacks were possible during the holiday season and that threat indicators are "perhaps greater now than at any point" since Sept. 11, 2001.
"Information indicates that extremists abroad are anticipating near-term attacks that they believe will rival or exceed the scope and impact of those we experienced in New York, at the Pentagon (news - web sites), and in Pennsylvania more than two years ago," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said in a statement released before his news conference on the announcement.
He cited reports that Osama bin-Laden's terrorist network is trying find holes in U.S. aviation security.
The government elevated the threat level, last raised in May, from yellow to orange after U.S. intelligence agencies "received a substantial increase in the volume of threat-related intelligence reports," Ridge said.
"These credible sources suggest the possibility of attacks against the homeland around the holiday season and beyond," he said. "These strategic indicators, including al-Qaida's continued desire to carry out attacks against our homeland, are perhaps greater now than at any point since Sept 11."
A senior intelligence official said last week that analysts were particularly concerned about the threat of Sept. 11-style attacks, in which terrorists would use hijacked airliners as weapons.
Ridge said that "recent reporting reiterates that al-Qaida continues to consider using aircraft as a weapon. They are evaluating procedures both here and abroad to find gaps in our security posture that can be exploited."
He also sought to reassure Americans about the warning.
"We have not raised the threat level in this country for six months, but we have raised it before. And as before, Americans can be assured that we know what we must do and we are doing it," Ridge said.
The color-coded system was last raised to orange on May 5. Authorities reported at the time receiving general intelligence that pointed to possible terror attacks in the United States related to bombings in Saudi Arabia and Morocco that killed dozens of people. The threat level was returned to yellow 11 days later.
U.S. officials by the end of last week were telling holiday travelers to be vigilant about the threat of terrorist attacks. The warning was prompted in part by a raised level of ominous intercepted communications that has not quieted for months.
On Friday, the Arabic television network Al-Jazeera aired a new statement from Ayman al-Zawahri, the chief deputy of Osama bin Laden (news - web sites). The CIA (news - web sites) said Saturday it believes the tape is authentic.
"We are still chasing the Americans and their allies everywhere, even in their homeland," according to the voice on the tape.
Some statements from al-Qaida leaders are later regarded as preludes to attacks; others simply propaganda.
Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Sunday morning that officials were trying to determine whether increased terrorist chatter being detected in recent weeks was an aberration or something more serious.
"There is no doubt, from all the intelligence we pick up from al-Qaida, that they want to do away with our way of life," he told "Fox News Sunday."
"And if they could use another catastrophic event, a tragedy like 9-11; if they could do that again, if they could get their hands on weapons of mass destruction and make it 10,000 (deaths), not 3,000, they would do that."
Myers said he and Ridge were to discuss the threat level "in the next 24, 48 hours" and raising the level was under active consideration.
"It's Secretary Ridge's business, but the Department of Defense (news - web sites) does play a role in supporting federal agencies in this regard, and so we're discussing this right now," said Myers, who just returned from a trip to Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites).
Much of the threat information suggests attacks directed at U.S. interests in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, officials said last week.
"My guess is the government is taking this very seriously both in Saudi Arabia and here," Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told CNN's "Late Edition" shortly before Ridge's announcement.
The State Department last week recommended that its nonessential diplomatic personnel as well as diplomatic families leave the Saudi kingdom.
The May change in alert status was fourth time it had risen to orange. Each change set off a flurry of increased security measures by cities, states and businesses. The lowest two levels, green and blue, and the highest, red, have not been used since the system was put in place in early 2002.
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