from the Assosciated Press:

Security Heightened in New Terror Alert

Law enforcement and private business braced for a possible terrorist attack after the starkest warning since the Sept. 11 anniversary, stopping more cars at borders, readying Coast Guard cutters, and tightening security from airports to theme parks.

Worries were raised New York once again could be a target.

While stepped-up protection stretched across the country, a high-ranking law enforcement source told The Associated Press intercepted communications between suspected terrorists suggested a potential threat to New York.

The communications, some intercepted as late as Thursday night, raised specific concerns about hotels and subways in the city and the East Coast, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Airports, subways, nuclear plants, hotels, even plans for Sunday's NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta received new attention after the federal government upgraded the terror alert color to "orange," warning of a growing possibility that the al-Qaida network would launch an attack to coincide with Muslim holy days.

"What's being communicated is that we're entering into a very sensitive period," said Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, who joined other governors in a conference call with Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. "We're possibly on the brink of war. Obviously there has been some intelligence gathered by the CIA among other agencies that suggests something could happen."

Attorney General John Ashcroft said Friday the government had received intelligence information, corroborated by multiple sources, that Osama bin Laden's terror organization sought to attack Americans at home or abroad during the annual hajj pilgrimage to the holy Saudi city of Mecca. The five-day hajj involving more than a million Muslim pilgrims begins Saturday.

Potential targets, he said, could include "soft" or lightly guarded targets such as apartment buildings and hotels, and could involve chemical, biological or radiological devices. Al-Qaida might also seek to hit economic targets connected to transportation and energy, or "symbols of American power."

At U.S. border crossings, inspectors began searching more vehicles, and running computer checks on all pedestrians, said Lauren Mack with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Before Friday, Mack said, inspectors ran computer checks on about 80 percent of pedestrians entering the country.

Commercial vehicles entering from Mexico will also be inspected more thoroughly, with many screened by X-ray, said U.S. Customs spokesman Vince Bond. "It may be drugs. It may be avocados. It may be Cuban cigars. It may be weapons of mass destruction. We're looking for anomalies," he said.

Chicago restarted its emergency operations center for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and it will remain open 24 hours a day for an indefinite period.

In New York, Gov. George Pataki said specialized units of the state police and the National Guard were activated. He and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced extra security at bridges, tunnels, airports, subways and many public buildings.

Nuclear facilities in California and Washington state, and utilities in New England and elsewhere, all put security plans into action.

The warning about soft targets spurred a response by private businesses from Las Vegas to Florida to New York.

"We have greatly enhanced what was already strict security since 9-11," said Universal Orlando spokesman Jim Canfield. He wouldn't discuss specific new measures.

In New York, the president of the city's tourism bureau, Cristyne Nicholas, warned guests they might encounter new security procedures. "We should be patient, we should be understanding. If we're asked to show our room key or identification, it's for the betterment of the entire city."

Not everyone felt the same worries. In Hawaii, authorities decided there wasn't any reason to change its security alert. "There is nothing to indicate there is a direct threat to Hawaii," said Gov. Linda Lingle.

On the streets, some said they couldn't really tell any difference.

"Looking around, it seems like everybody's getting on with their daily lives," said Ansley Dickens, a 20-year-old student in Boston. "The likelihood of an earthquake is more of a huge concern of mine," said Rob Huntley, general manager of The Inn At Union Square in San Francisco.

Cool, Orange!

I just pretend it's Halloween.

I made a post about this yesterday here http://www.prince.org/msg...&tid=35724

Since then though I read that the danger level is 8 out of a possible 10

Can't be too good.

I'm thinking that it is no coincedence that we are about to go to war with Iraq and Bush is now scaremongering people and getting them ready to back a pre-emptive strike.

JimmyNothing said:

Sorry, I missed it. I thought people should know if they didn't already.

'Code Rainbow Alert'

Supa, go put your pumps on, men are a comin!

TRON said:

I wasn't trying to knock U for posting it TRON.

Dayum! my original post said "I was trying to knock U!
[This message was edited Sat Feb 8 19:04:04 PST 2003 by JimmyNothing]

Bothers me none.

I admit that it does bother me a bit, I work with the public in a busy place and if the terrorists really want to kill alot of people they will do it at a place that is always busy.

theC said:

I'm with C on this one.

question: the codes go from red (the highest) to orange, then yellow, then blue, then green (the lowest).


now... if they were going to do that, why not make blue the lowest? that's a fucked-up rainbow they have there.

AaronUnlimited said:

ohh bush is being devil-lish!

AaronUnlimited said:

Yeah, who taught the government color theory?