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U.S. and British Officials Lower Threat Level; Chertoff Praised for Response to Airline Threat
The United States and United Kingdom reduced the security threat level for airline flights yesterday, but officials stressed that they remain on guard after British authorities last week arrested 24 individuals suspected of plotting to blow up a number of U.S.-bound airliners (see GSN, Aug. 10). “We are remaining vigilant for any signs of planning within the U.S. or directed at Americans,” U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in a statement yesterday. “As we speak right now, we have not found any indication of active planning in the U.S. or plans to conduct operations within the U.S.,” he told CBS’ “Face the Nation” yesterday. Despite the British arrests, “we do have to be concerned about other groups that may seek to exploit the opportunities to do their own activities or their own operations because they believe we are distracted,” Chertoff added (Josh White, Washington Post I, Aug. 14). Meanwhile in London, British authorities lowered their assessment of the terrorist threat from “critical” to “severe,” thereby easing restrictions on air travelers. Dozens of flights were canceled over the weekend because passenger screening efforts took so much time, the Post reported. The lowered threat level would allow security personnel to reduce the number of passengers who receive intensive review. The U.S. and British ban on passengers carrying liquids or gels remains in place, as the suspected plotters reportedly planned to use liquid explosives to craft onboard explosives (Joshua Partlow, Washington Post II, Aug. 14). The Homeland Security Department’s response to the new threat received general praise from previous critics of the department, the New York Times reported today. “Until this threat, the department had fallen short of the promise that its creation held,” said Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine). “This time we saw a crisp, confident and competent response, and Secretary Chertoff was clearly front and center.” The department had taken heavy criticism a year ago for its response to Hurricane Katrina. Chertoff, in particular, was charged with being too distant from situation. “There were obvious frustrations in Katrina that I relied on others to do something and that turned out that that reliance was misplaced,” he told the Times yesterday. “So I guess to some extent, I have incorporated some of that lesson into what I do going forward.” After learning of the airline plot from British authorities earlier this month, Chertoff and his aides prepared reaction plans, the Times reported. The contingency plan for a successful British intervention of the plot called for imposing the no-liquids ban, deploying additional air marshals on flights to and from the United States and using airport screeners to watch airport passengers and detect suspicious behavior (Eric Lipton, New York Times, Aug. 14).
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