Here is another one:
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Terrorists Could Attack Pittsburgh
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/2217893/detail.html 'Soft Tagets' Like Pittsburgh Could Present An Even Higher Risk Of Attack
POSTED: 12:02 a.m. EDT May 21, 2003
UPDATED: 12:16 a.m. EDT May 21, 2003
PITTSBURGH -- The United States was already concerned that last week's suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia and Morocco could be a prelude to something here. However, ABC News has learned that a series of threatening messages on the Internet played a major role in the decision to raise the terror alert from yellow to orange.
Authorities said one message warns of "a possible devastating attack in the next 48 hours" and urged all Muslims to leave all cities, especially Boston, New York, and the commercial coastline. A separate message targets Washington, New York and the nation's beaches.
However, the FBI warns that Pittsburgh is not exempt from terrorist attacks. In fact, the special agent in charge of this region warns that "sof targets" such as Pittsburgh could be even more at risk.
More police are on patrol and the FBI has increased its command center staff. But authorities said the most important person in the Orange Alert equation may be citizens.
When dozens of emergency agencies and water suppliers scheduled a terrorist drill for Tuesday, they had no idea it would happen the same time the terror alert was elevated to Orange.
Their scenario: a toxin is introduced into the water supply.
"They are ready, there is certainly always improvements that can be made, but this is a good exercise to point out where those areas need to be strengthened," Department Of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Betsy Mallison said.
Mallison said it is not just the FBI, local police and others in the drill who need to be vigilant, though. The men and women who jog around places like the Highland Park Reservoir every day also should be observant.
"If they see any suspicious activity around any business or any type of structure, a bridge or tunnel, the water supply, anything that looks unusual, people taking pictures and so forth, call their local law enforcement agency," EMA Director Bob Full said.
"Everybody knows that New York and Washington are usually the targets and they've been hardened, so it's possible in middle America, Pittsburgh or some other community could now be the subject of their attack because of it being a little bit softer and not thinking it could happen here," Special Agent In Charge Kenneth McCabe said.
The rivers are another reason Pittsburgh could be in the scope of terrorists.
"We are one of the biggest inland commercial waterways in the U.S., they know that we're watching the coastal waterways in Newark, Boston, L.A., so could they possibly be planning something here? We're trying to find that out," McCabe said.
The Orange Alert will mean more thorough security screenings for airline travelers.
The FAA, Airport Authority and county police are deciding whether the current orange alert warrants the random spot-checks of vehicles on airport property that has been conducted in the past.
It is highly probable that the intelligence chain is being yanked. Most terrorists will have learned not to communicate via email and keep their plans very secretive imo. But if they don't put out the warning and something goes down, there will be h*** to pay.
Oh wonderful </sarcasm>. We're visiting DC in a couple of weeks but until then we're surrounded by the best beaches in the country.
My daughter lives in Pittsburgh - I'm glad she's heading home today for a couple of weeks!