New York and Washington react to 9/11 threat with practiced seriousness
| New York
Washington put police on 12-hour shifts Friday and New York began searching vehicles approaching the city鈥檚 bridges amid unconfirmed intelligence of a terror attack to coincide with the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
At the same time officials asked members of the public to keep their eyes open for anything unusual, a reminder of the 鈥渟ee something, say something鈥� campaign that has existed for years.
The heightened antiterrorism efforts in New York and Washington followed word Thursday of the unconfirmed plot, which was described as specific and 鈥渃redible.鈥�
鈥淭his is from a single source right now,鈥� says Frank Cilluffo, director of George Washington University鈥檚 Homeland Security Policy Institute in Washington. 鈥淏ut, at the end of the day you have to take it seriously.鈥�
On Friday, New York police had taken additional measures such as blocking off some of the approaches to Grand Central Station, stopping trucks and vans to search their contents, and increasing patrols. In Washington, police began working 12-hour shifts and said unattended vehicles near bridges and monuments would be towed.
One of the major reasons why law enforcement officials are taking no chances is because of intelligence gleaned from computers and notebooks found in the Pakistan compound where Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by US forces on May 2.
鈥淲hen you see how fixated Osama bin Laden was on the 10th anniversary, it makes sense to have extra precautions during significant dates and events,鈥� says Mr. Cilluffo.
On Sunday, President Obama plans to visit each of the sites hit on Sept. 11, 2001, the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the field in Shanksville, Pa., where hijacked flight 93 crashed. The White House says the potential security threat will not change his schedule.
Both New York and Washington have wide experience with ramping up for potential security threats.
鈥淓very year there is an anniversary, that鈥檚 the time when you would think that we should heighten our security, and we do,鈥� said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, at a briefing Thursday evening. 鈥淭he risks are greater then, we imagine, but nobody is really sure.鈥�
In the past during heightened security levels, the NYPD has set up roadblocks outside the city鈥檚 bridges and tunnels and pulled over trucks, vans and other vehicles. On Friday, they started those efforts again, pulling over vehicles.
In New York鈥檚 hot and steamy subway stops, police set up tables to search backpacks. Underneath Grand Central Station, four police officers eyed travelers as they entered the subway. Travelers using Amtrak reported an increased number of police and canine units as well.
The police presence is expected to get tighter and tighter as the weekend progresses. By late Saturday or early Sunday, access to the area around Ground Zero is expected to be very tightly controlled in what officials are terming a 鈥渇rozen zone.鈥� There will be quick-strike reaction forces buttressed with automatic weapons and heavy armor.
That鈥檚 on top of an already significant antiterror effort. According to Mr. Bloomberg, there are radiation detectors and 3,000 cameras positioned around the city, police offers stationed in a dozen cities around the world, 100 more assigned to work with the FBI, and a budget of $8.5 billion to keep the city safe.
鈥淎nd, a lot of what we do you don鈥檛 see 鈥� the undercover people who are really the eyes and the ears,鈥� Bloomberg told CBS News on Friday. 鈥淭he level of security in this city probably makes it the safest place to be.鈥�
According to Bloomberg, the city has broken up at least 13 terror plots in the past decade. 鈥淔or all we know there were many others that, when terrorists want to attack us, took a look at what kind of precautions the NYPD and other agencies take here and said, 鈥榃e鈥檙e not going to get away with it, so we鈥檙e not going to do it.鈥� 鈥�
Cilluffo says it鈥檚 true that New York鈥檚 efforts are at a high level. But, he points out, 鈥淣o one is 100 percent 鈥� that鈥檚 why they are taking it so seriously.鈥�
