Nation on Heightened State of Alert
CHRISTOPHER NEWTON
Associated Press Writer
The nation steeled itself against a possible attack after the government raised the terror alert to its second highest level, based on new intelligence warning of possible strikes on the Sept. 11 anniversary.
Associated Press
The Bush administration raised the nation's terror alert warning to its second highest level Tuesday "code orange" signaling a "high risk" of attack ahead of the Sept. 11 anniversary. Attorney General John Ashcroft cited "specific intelligence on specific attacks on U.S. interests overseas."
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• Transcript: Security Conference
• At a Glance: Sept. 11 Threats
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AP Photo/Dennis Cook
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AP Photo/Dennis Cook
Police search a car entering the U.S. Capitol grounds Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2002, as authorities increased security at all federal buildings throughout Washington. On the eve of the Sept. 11 anniversary, the Bush administration decided Tuesday to raise the terror alert level for the first time to code orange, signaling a high danger of attack, a government official told The Associated Press
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Overseas, nine U.S. embassies were closed.
Federal officials told Americans to go ahead with their plans to commemorate Sept. 11 at gatherings and not change their work, school or travel schedules.
The message came attached to an announcement by Attorney General John Ashcroft that U.S. intelligence had uncovered the first specific threats against U.S. interests abroad and less credible information that terrorists might attack America again.
``U.S. intelligence has concluded that lower-level al-Qaida operatives may view the Sept. 11 anniversary as a suitable time to lash out in even small strikes to demonstrate their worldwide presence and resolve,'' Ashcroft said Tuesday.
``Widely dispersed, unsophisticated strikes are possible,'' he warned.
President Bush approved raising the level from a ``significant risk'' of attacks _ code yellow _ to a high danger, or code orange. It is the highest alert level imposed since the system was established in March.
On Wednesday, security precautions in the nation's capital were expected to rival measures taken immediately after last year's attacks. Vice President Dick Cheney canceled a Tuesday night speech and was taken to a secret location to protect the presidential line of succession in case of an attack.
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld ordered live anti-aircraft missiles be stationed near launchers that had been deployed around Washington for a training exercise.
Across the country, access was restricted to public places and events. Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, announcing security measures at the state capitol, told residents, ``You should probably bring your driver's license'' to the building.
Local police were on edge. They urged residents to report any suspicious activity.
``There's no such thing as a stupid phone call,'' said Lt. Kelly Willis, spokesman for the Des Moines, Iowa, police department. ``We're here to be bothered.''
The intelligence community believes the most likely targets at home and abroad are transportation and energy facilities or other symbols of U.S. power, such as military facilities, embassies and national monuments, he said.
U.S. officials took little comfort in the fact that the threats focused on overseas targets; a similar pattern was detected just before the Sept. 11 attacks, they said.
``Americans need to go about their lives,'' Bush said. ``They just need to know that their government, at the federal and state and local level, will be on an extra level of alert to protect us.''
Bush planned to travel Wednesday under extraordinarily tight security to the sites of last year's attacks at the Pentagon, in New York City and in southwestern Pennsylvania. The Secret Service bolstered security around the White House, paying special attention to vehicles on a nearby road recently closed to trucks.
Among the 15 or so U.S. diplomatic posts closed overseas, the embassy in Jakarta and a consular office in Surabaya, both in Indonesia, were shut down due to what officials called credible and specific information about security threats.
Despite no evidence of a plot against America, the Sept. 11 anniversary and threats of attacks against U.S. interests abroad made officials nervous enough to seek the higher threat status.
A grim-faced Ashcroft said U.S. intelligence, based on information from a senior al-Qaida operative in the last day or so, believes terrorists operating in several South Asian countries hope to explode car bombs or launch other attacks on U.S. facilities abroad.
The plans are believed to be linked directly to al-Qaida, rather than one of its affiliates, said a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The al-Qaida operative who provided some of the information has been in the custody of an unidentified foreign country for several months, but he has not been publicly identified.
Ashcroft said the government also has learned of plans in the Middle East to launch one or more suicide attacks against U.S. interests. ``At this time, we have no specific information as to where these attacks might occur,'' Ashcroft said.
The State Department issued a notice of ``worldwide caution'' to Americans abroad.
The General Services Administration, which operates and provides security for most federal buildings, implemented new security procedures.
The Environmental Protection Agency ordered water system operators to bolster security.
The Agriculture Department told meat inspectors to look for anything suspicious.
Military bases worldwide were put on higher alert this week because of the anniversary, and the military resumed 24-hour fighter jet patrols over New York City and Washington.
On Capitol Hill, the House sergeant at arms installed steel cabinets in the press gallery to store ``escape hoods'' that allow people to breathe in case of a biological or chemical attack. Congress has bought 25,000 of them.
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