Posted on 08/02/2004 2:07:25 PM PDT by sarcasm
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Black-clad police armed with assault rifles moved in to protect America's financial centers on Monday after warnings that al Qaeda bombers might strike, while New Yorkers vowed not to be defeated by terrorists.
A day after U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge put New York, Washington and other money centers on a code Orange, or ``High'' alert for attack -- the nation's second highest level of readiness -- security was visibly stepped up.
Unlike previous alerts, this one specifically mentioned buildings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington, Citigroup and the New York Stock Exchange in New York and Prudential Financial in New Jersey as being at risk.
The latest threat is aimed squarely at the heart of the capitalist system -- Citigroup is the world's largest financial services firm, the NYSE the world's biggest stock exchange, Prudential is a major insurance firm and the IMF and World Bank are used to head off global economic crises.
Clad in body armor and wielding rifles, police guarded sites in New York, where almost 2,800 people were killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks that brought down the World Trade Center. This time officers were on alert for possible truck bombs, suicide bombers and chemical and biological attack through buildings' heating and air conditioning systems.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg rang the opening bell at the Stock Exchange, just blocks from where the Trade Center's Twin Towers once stood, to signal it was business as usual.
``New York City is not going to be cowed by terrorists, make no mistake about it. The people of New York know that giving in to terrorists is exactly the wrong thing to do,'' he said after breaking ground on a new Bank of America building in midtown.
``SYMBOL OF DEFIANCE''
Republican Gov. George Pataki told reporters the Manhattan skyscraper groundbreaking was, ``A symbol of defiance to those who would have us live in terror or live in fear.''
The latest terror warning was prompted by Pakistan's capture of a suspected al Qaeda computer expert -- Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan, also called Abu Talha -- which yielded documents, computers, surveillance reports and sketches, U.S. intelligence officials told Reuters.
``It's greater specificity beyond what we've seen before,'' one U.S. official said. ``And they're planning something soon.''
Security was ramped up at bridges and tunnels in and out of Manhattan and at buildings named in the latest alert, such as Citigroup headquarters in midtown Manhattan where employees lined up patiently to have their identification checked and their bags searched. First lady Laura Bush met employees there and offered reassurance during the afternoon.
At the IMF and World Bank, where security was already tight, extra police guarded entrances and stopped parking nearby. Barricades were erected at Prudential in Newark, New Jersey, to guard from truck bombs.
The U.S. Border Patrol is beefing up security along the Texas-Mexico border, deploying extra agents as well as cameras, electronic sensors and helicopters.
Workers on Wall Street insisted the latest threats would not affect their day-to-day lives.
``We are not going to let these guys scare us out of coming to work,'' said NYSE clerk Chris Trachtenberg.
In Queens, where a Citigroup building towers above all around it, police helicopters circled overhead and the building was circled by concrete barriers.
``I was a little scared coming to work today and wanted to stay home but my Dad said, 'Go to work. Don't let those terrorists bother you.' So here I am,'' said Ann Buckley, taking a break outside the building.
New York's tabloid Daily News echoed that sentiment with an editorial headlined, ``Don't let the bastards get us down.''
Financial markets were unsettled early in the day but blue chip stocks closed higher after positive corporate earnings. The U.S. dollar fell early but trimmed losses on good news from manufacturing. U.S. Treasury bonds, seen as a safe bet in troubled times, edged higher.
The FBI warned police to watch for bombs in subways and on other public transportation near vulnerable buildings and all traffic on key streets by the Capitol building in Washington will be stopped and inspected starting on Thursday evening.
``We are a nation in danger,'' President Bush said in Washington after he endorsed the creation of a national intelligence director and broadly backed other intelligence reforms recommended by the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
``We're doing everything we can in our power to confront the danger. We're making good progress and protecting our people and bringing our enemies to account,'' Bush added.
But at a campaign stop in Michigan, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry said Bush was too slow to battle terrorism and his policies had, ``resulted in an increase of animosity and anger focused on the United States of America.''
``The intelligence agencies of our country will tell you ... the people who are training terror, are using our actions as a means of recruitment,'' Kerry said.
For how long?
They are using our mere existence as a means of recruitment.
Three possible means of protecting America from terrorist attack: Deport, deport, deport.
You must be one of those "all-or-nothing" kind of people. Nothing is ever going to satisfy your desire to moan and complain. Everything is too little, or too slow, or too short, etc. etc.
Interesting outlook you have on life - you're welcome to it.
It's a valid question. Why wasn't this done 09/12/01?
My son is with NYPD----I hate this stuff!
Law suits.
Thank God the citizens are all safely unarmed.
At least they will all be safe.
Bless Senator Schumer and the leaders of New York State for their heroic defense of the people!
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