Terror Threats Lead To Increased Security At Miami InternationalAirport, Ports

Terror Threats Lead To Increased Security At Airport, Ports
Americans Promised 'Extensive And Considerable Protections'

NBC6.net, FL

POSTED: 6:58 PM EST December 21, 2003

MIAMI -- The government on Sunday raised the national threat level to orange, 
indicating a high risk of terrorist attack, a move that will lead to longer 
waits and longer lines at Miami International Airport, NBC 6 reported.

Some at the airport on Sunday said they did not know about the government's 
warning and said they would practice some vigilance but continue with their 
holiday travel plans. 

Miami-Dade County mayor Alex Penelas said South Floridians should not be 
alarmed and that, to his knowledge, there have not been any specific threats 
made against the area.

But officials at the airport increased security on Sunday, performing spot 
vehicle checks and increasing the police presence at the airport.

Port and airport officials recommend travelers give themselves ample time to 
make it through the added security.

Government officials said threat indicators are "perhaps greater now than at 
any point" since Sept. 11, 2001, with strikes possible during the holidays.

Americans were promised "extensive and considerable protections" around the 
country and told to stick to their travel plans despite intelligence indicating 
the al-Qaida terrorist network is seeking again to use planes as weapons and 
exploit suspected weakness in U.S. aviation security.

Some of the intelligence information gathered in the past few days suggests 
that "extremists abroad" are anticipating attacks that will rival or exceed the 
scope of those of Sept. 11, Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge said. 

He also said officials did not see a connection between last weekend's capture 
of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and the heightened security alert.

The threat information comes from multiple, credible sources but officials are 
unaware of a specific target or means of attack, added a senior law enforcement 
official.

Some of the intercepted communications and other intelligence mentions New 
York, Washington and unspecified cities on the West Coast, said the official, 
who spoke on condition of anonymity. Authorities also are concerned about dams, 
bridges, nuclear plants, chemical facilities and other public works.

Thousands of state and local law enforcement agencies have received an FBI 
advisory urging special notice of sites that could be a conceivable target and 
potential security upgrades, the official said.

In addition, Ridge has contacted his counterparts in Canada and Mexico about 
increasing border security.

The State Department issued a worldwide caution to U.S. citizens overseas. 
"Al-Qaida and its associated organizations have struck in the Middle East in 
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and in Europe in Istanbul, Turkey," the department's Web 
site said. "We therefore assess that other geographic locations could be venues 
for the next round of attacks.

"We expect al-Qaida will strive for new attacks designed to be more devastating 
than the Sept. 11 attack, possibly involving nonconventional weapons such as 
chemical or biological agents," the State Department advised.

At a hastily arranged news conference at Homeland Security headquarters, Ridge 
said credible intelligence sources "suggest the possibility of attacks against 
the homeland around the holiday season and beyond."

"The 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," he said.

The alert level had stood at yellow, an elevated risk and in the middle of the 
five-color scale, since May.

The White House declined comment, referring all questions to Ridge's department.

Ridge said the government acted after U.S. intelligence agencies "received a 
substantial increase in the volume of threat-related intelligence reports."

"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," Ridge said.

But he added that U.S. aviation "is far more secure" than ever.

As a result of the change in threat level, all federal departments and agencies 
were putting action plans in place and stepping up security at airports, border 
crossing and ports, Ridge said.

"Extensive and considerable protections have been or soon will be in place all 
across the country," Ridge said.

"Your government will stand at the ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to 
stop terrorism during the holiday season and beyond."

The secretary sought to reassure Americans about the warning, urging them not 
to disrupt holiday plans and to use common sense and report suspicious items 
and to prepare or review personal emergency plans.

"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.

Federal aviation security officials were in contact Sunday with general 
aviation officials, including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which 
represents 400,000, or two-thirds of all pilots in the United States.

U.S. officials by the end of last week were telling holiday travelers to be 
vigilant about the threat of 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, bin Laden's chief deputy. The CIA 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.

Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said earlier Sunday 
that officials were trying to determine whether the increased material detected 
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" after his 
return from a trip to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Four times before had the threat level risen to orange. Each change sets 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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