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Nation's Threat Level Rising to Orange
My Way ^
Posted on 12/21/2003 10:24:54 AM PST by Happy2BMe
By JENNIFER C. KERR WASHINGTON (AP) - The government is raising the national threat warning from yellow, the midpoint on its five-color scale, to orange, a federal official said Sunday.
Tom Ridge, the homeland security secretary, planned to discuss the chance at a midafternoon news conference at the agency's headquarters. A department official confirmed the elevated threat level but declined to provide details before Ridge's appearance.
U.S. officials by the end of last week were telling holiday travelers to be vigilant about the threat of terrorist attacks. The warning was prompted in part by a raised level of ominous intercepted communications that has not quieted for months.
The significance of the sustained level of intelligence "chatter" is unclear, the officials said.
Homeland Security officials said they did not expect a change in the threat level unless more specific intelligence was received.
On Friday, the Arabic television network Al-Jazeera aired a new statement from Ayman al-Zawahri, the chief deputy of Osama bin Laden. The CIA said Saturday it believes the tape is authentic.
"We are still chasing the Americans and their allies everywhere, even in their homeland," according to the voice on the tape.
Some statements from al-Qaida leaders are later regarded as preludes to attacks; others simply propaganda.
Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Sunday morning that officials were trying to determine whether increased terrorist chatter being detected in recent weeks was an aberration or something more serious.
"There is no doubt, from all the intelligence we pick up from al-Qaida, that they want to do away with our way of life," he told "Fox News Sunday."
"And if they could use another catastrophic event, a tragedy like 9-11; if they could do that again, if they could get their hands on weapons of mass destruction and make it 10,000 (deaths), not 3,000, they would do that."
Myers said he and Ridge were to discuss the threat level "in the next 24, 48 hours" and raising the level was under active consideration.
"It's Secretary Ridge's business, but the Department of Defense does play a role in supporting federal agencies in this regard, and so we're discussing this right now," said Myers, who just returned from a trip to Iraq and Afghanistan.
TOPICS: Front Page News
KEYWORDS: goodbyemecca; orangealert4
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That grinch again.
1
posted on
12/21/2003 10:24:54 AM PST
by
Happy2BMe
To: Happy2BMe
WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!Back to cleaning out the garage.
2
posted on
12/21/2003 10:26:45 AM PST
by
Tijeras_Slim
(Saddam looked like he could use a "Baath Party".)
To: Happy2BMe
Well, here we go.
3
posted on
12/21/2003 10:27:16 AM PST
by
wizardoz
("Let's roll!" ........................................................ "We got him!")
To: Happy2BMe; MeeknMing; SJackson; JohnHuang2; Salem; Geist Krieger
4
posted on
12/21/2003 10:27:24 AM PST
by
Happy2BMe
(2004 - Who WILL the TERRORISTS vote for? - - Not George W. Bush, THAT'S for sure!)
To: wizardoz
Lt. Col. Bill Cowan (FNC) says Ridge is very, very cautious about raising the threat level.
5
posted on
12/21/2003 10:28:31 AM PST
by
wizardoz
("Let's roll!" ........................................................ "We got him!")
To: Happy2BMe
Women and Minorities hit hardest.
6
posted on
12/21/2003 10:29:54 AM PST
by
byteback
To: wizardoz
"Lt. Col. Bill Cowan (FNC) says Ridge is very, very cautious about raising the threat level." Interesting the national terrorist threat level didn't rise immediately after the capture and ensuing examination of Saddam and the contents of his briefcase.
Now, almost a week later, it goes up.
Hmmm...
7
posted on
12/21/2003 10:30:28 AM PST
by
Happy2BMe
(2004 - Who WILL the TERRORISTS vote for? - - Not George W. Bush, THAT'S for sure!)
To: Happy2BMe
PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO MAN..........Please G-D!
8
posted on
12/21/2003 10:31:16 AM PST
by
OldFriend
( BLESS OUR PRESIDENT)
To: Happy2BMe
I would think because of Christmas, right?
To: Tijeras_Slim
Damn, where are those rolls of masking tape?
10
posted on
12/21/2003 10:32:52 AM PST
by
thesummerwind
(like painted kites, those days and nights, they went flyin' by)
To: Happy2BMe
was that Vince's briefcase?
11
posted on
12/21/2003 10:33:50 AM PST
by
thesummerwind
(like painted kites, those days and nights, they went flyin' by)
To: byteback; MeeknMing; Registered
This is National "Be Kind to Saddam Day" - proclaimed by the leading Democrat . .
Saddam - By the POWER invested in me (by my fellow Democrats) . .
I hereby proclaim The National "Be Kind to Terrorist Day, 2003!
12
posted on
12/21/2003 10:33:54 AM PST
by
Happy2BMe
(2004 - Who WILL the TERRORISTS vote for? - - Not George W. Bush, THAT'S for sure!)
To: Happy2BMe
Could be the final convulsions, the beginning of the end of Al Qaeda. But we really need for Dubya to get re-elected. There's still so much of the swamp that needs draining.
13
posted on
12/21/2003 10:34:41 AM PST
by
wizardoz
("Let's roll!" ........................................................ "We got him!")
To: Tijeras_Slim; Happy2BMe; autoresponder; PhilDragoo
Nation's Threat Level Rising to Orange
WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!
14
posted on
12/21/2003 10:34:52 AM PST
by
MeekOneGOP
(Hillary is a TRAITOR !!: http://Richard.Meek.home.comcast.net/HitlerTraitor6.JPG)
To: Happy2BMe
WHAT? This nation's terror alert???
15
posted on
12/21/2003 10:35:13 AM PST
by
Palladin
(Proud to be a FReeper!)
To: thesummerwind
Duct tape, you agent provocateur!
16
posted on
12/21/2003 10:35:40 AM PST
by
Tijeras_Slim
(Saddam looked like he could use a "Baath Party".)
To: wizardoz
FNC: "Obviously this is series..." (no, not really, he said 'serious.')
17
posted on
12/21/2003 10:36:04 AM PST
by
wizardoz
("Let's roll!" ........................................................ "We got him!")
To: byteback
Women, children, minorities and METROSEXUALS hit hardest.
What would the fashion conscious metro wear that goes with orange?
To: wizardoz
"But we really need for Dubya to get re-elected. There's still so much of the swamp that needs draining."
2004 - Who WILL the TERRORISTS vote for? - - Not George W. Bush, THAT'S for sure!
19
posted on
12/21/2003 10:36:37 AM PST
by
Happy2BMe
(2004 - Who WILL the TERRORISTS vote for? - - Not George W. Bush, THAT'S for sure!)
To: Happy2BMe
Oh, dear...and I was going Ramahanukwanzmas shopping this afternoon. (Thanks, Glenn Beck!)
20
posted on
12/21/2003 10:36:50 AM PST
by
who knows what evil?
(Under the personal care of the Great Physician...full coverage.)
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