New York Tightens Security, Stops Trucks After Terror Threat

Sept. 9 (Bloomberg) -- New York police increased security, including vehicle checkpoints, while armed guards stood near the Office of Emergency Management, after authorities received a credible threat that terrorists may be plotting an attack in the city around the Sept. 11 anniversary.

Police cruisers took up positions on midtown blocks on Lexington, Park and Fifth avenues in Manhattan today as officers stopped trucks and other vehicles for inspection. Drivers were made to open the storage spaces of delivery trucks for police. In Brooklyn, New York, U.S. marshals armed with machine guns guarded the federal courthouse and increased security was observed in front of the nearby city emergency management office.

"We have already had a full complement of people working shifts because of the Sept. 11 anniversary prior to this," said Jim Margolin, a spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's New York office. "We are taking the logical investigative measures to assess this threat."

The threat concerns a possible al-Qaeda-sponsored attack targeting New York or Washington on or near the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack, said a U.S. official, who wasn't authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The official said the intelligence concerns a possible vehicle-borne attack, perhaps on a transportation hub or bottleneck, and cautioned that the options may be broader than a car or truck bombing.

Interest in Anniversaries

"As we know from the intelligence gathered from the Osama bin Laden raid, al-Qaeda has shown an interest in important dates and anniversaries, such as 9/11," Janice Fedarcyk, the FBI's assistant director in charge of the New York office, said at a press conference yesterday. "In this instance, it's accurate that there is specific, credible but unconfirmed information. We take all threats reported seriously."

A U.S. official in Washington said the credible intelligence revolved around a plot possibly hatched by al-Qaeda in Pakistan involving three individuals, including possibly one American. Another U.S. official cautioned that information wasn't yet confirmed. The officials weren't authorized to publicly discuss the intelligence.   A U.S. intelligence alert that federal officials sent to local law enforcement said operatives in the suspected plot may be carrying American documents, according to two people familiar with the alert who weren't authorized to speak publicly.

Intercepted 'Chatter'

U.S. intelligence officials learned of the possible threat in intercepted communications among suspected al-Qaeda operatives in the tribal areas of western Pakistan, three U.S. intelligence officials said.

However, they said, the "chatter," as they described the intercepted conversations, didn't name the alleged attackers and included only vague descriptions of vehicle-borne attacks on the two most likely targets on a day of obvious significance and media attention.

New Jersey's Director of Homeland Security Charles McKenna said state officials are concerned that as New York and Washington are "hardened targets," the would-be attackers may turn to New Jersey as a back-up option.

McKenna said the state has increased security. He declined to specify what steps have been taken.

Tracking Leads

Three weeks ago, 100 state police detectives began contacting 2,500 businesses that may be used by terrorists including fertilizer suppliers, truck rental agencies and hotels in a so-called trip-wire operation designed to produce leads, New Jersey State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes told reporters in Ewing, New Jersey, today. A previous plot by the "Fort Dix Six" to attack a New Jersey military complex was foiled after a photo-processing clerk reported suspicious videos by a customer.

"Those are the people you need to connect to; the people who are going to give you the initial leads that are going to get you to the bottom of terror operations," Fuentes said.

The state police's homeland security detail of 300 troopers assigned to aviation, truck inspections and bomb units will also be on alert, he said.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, speaking at a meeting of administration officials in Princeton, said people shouldn't alter their plans and lives.

No Surprise

"This is nothing that should come to folks as any surprise nor is it something that should cause any panic," Christie said.

via sfgate.com