New York Heightens Security After Internet Threat

Authorities in New York City increased security Friday after a Web site indicated that it was one of several potential U.S. targets of a terrorist radiological weapon attack, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, June 14).

Augmented efforts included use of radiological detection equipment at bridges and tunnels leading into Manhattan.

“These actions are like those that the NYPD takes every day — precautions against potential but unconfirmed threats that may never materialize,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

“As New Yorkers, we have gone about our lives even with the daily threat level at ‘orange’ every day since Sept. 11, 2001,” he said.  “That threat level has not changed because of this unverified threat, and we shouldn’t let anyone terrorize us by spreading fear.”

The Israeli Web site Debka.com first reported the threat, stating that it had detected “a rush of electronic chatter on al-Qaeda sites Thursday.”

Messages indicated that strikes could involve “trucks loaded with radioactive material against America’s biggest city and financial nerve center,” according to Debka.com.

New York, Los Angeles and Miami were all listed as potential targets in another message, the Web site stated.

“It’s unsubstantiated.  There continues to be no credible information telling us that there is a specific imminent threat to the homeland at this time,” said U.S. Homeland Security Department spokeswoman Veronica Nur Valdes (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Aug. 11).

The alert level had dropped by Saturday in New York City, the Associated Press reported.

Some intelligence experts question the value of the Israeli Web site.  The site’s daily readership is 1.3 million, but its reliance on anonymous sources regularly results in false reports, according to AP.

“I don’t take Debka seriously as a reliable source … but there are people who take it seriously and that’s what makes it dangerous,” said Israeli antiterror expert Boaz Ganor (Aron Heller, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Aug. 12).

Miami authorities did not follow their New York counterparts in increasing security, after determining that the threat report was not credible, the Miami Herald reported Saturday.

“That’s their determination, their choice, but of course we have to be reasonable and prudent in extending resources and dollars,” said Miami-Dade Police Director Bobby Parker (Noah Bierman, Miami Herald, Aug. 11).

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