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| ’Unspecified Threat’ Triggers Heightened Security In NY Harbor |
| 2002-12-31 |
| UPDATED: 7:12 p.m. EST December 31, 2002 NEW YORK -- Government sources tell NewsChannel 4 (NYC NBC Affiliate)that state officials in New York have ordered an increase in security in New York Harbor, based on what they call "an unspecified threat." The New York Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. military were all out on the harbor Tuesday in force. The threat spelled out coordinated attacks on eight New York cities followed by a noon "event" in New York Harbor. Because the source of the threat was new to intelligence officials -- it was taken more seriously than it might otherwise have been. "There was an uncorroborated report about a threat in the harbor, no more specific information than that," said Ray Kelly, NYPD commissioner. "In an abundance of caution the Coast Guard has restricted pleasure craft from coming into the harbor from 3:30 this afternoon until tomorrow (Wednesday)." Another reason authorities say they were more cautious: those five men of Arab descent who illegally drove into the U.S. from Canada on Christmas Eve also have authorities acting more cautious. Although not suspected of being terrorists themselves, intelligence officials say their names have come up on lists connected to other terror suspects. President Bush said Tuesday he personally ordered the FBI to begin a nationwide hunt for five men, saying U.S. authorities need to know what the men are doing in the United States. "We don't have any idea of what their intentions might be, but we are mindful that there are still some out there who would try to harm America and harm Americans and so therefore we take every threat seriously, every piece of evidence seriously," Bush said. Add in the Washington Post story Tuesday that reported the U.S. believes al Qaeda has a fleet of 15 freighters it controls that could be used for terrorist purposes. And, it's easy to see why even unsubstantiated threats could draw this kind of reaction. "As best, we know there is no relationship, at least that has been ascertained, between the five men who crossed the border and this threat today, but we're living in a post-9/11 world," said New York Sen. Charles Schumer. "We're living in a world where there are all kinds of new dangers and they're coming in all directions at us and we have to be as prepared as possible." The city remains at orange alert, as outlined by the Office of Homeland Security while the rest of the state remains on yellow alert. |
| Posted by:Frank Martin |