Miami Issues Alert on Possible Threat
September 16 2003
By David Cázares and Madeline Baró Diaz Miami Bureau
The Miami Police Department on Monday alerted the public to the possibility of a terrorist attack, in a move city and police officials said was designed to allay the fears of some residents and business owners who were alarmed by rumors of an attack this week.
In a warning issued Monday afternoon, police said the FBI had received a threat last week and passed it on to authorities in Miami. Although the FBI did not consider the threat credible, police spokesman Delrish Moss said the department took it seriously.
"We got information from the FBI during the latter part of the week that we should be extra cautious in the Greater Miami area, specifically downtown, because they had gotten non-specific, non-confirmed information that warranted them giving us a threat warning," Moss said. "They weren't able to give us anything specific."
Moss said the threat mentions a possible terrorist attack for today, Wednesday or Thursday. As a precaution, he said, police became more active over the weekend, but did not inform the public of the threat.
"We decided we would step up our efforts just in the abundance of caution and not do anything to alert or alarm the public because we didn't have anything to give them," Moss said. "We won't go into specifics about what the extra steps are because we don't want to give way our plans."
The threat received by the FBI was reported by a person outside of Miami, said Judy Orihuela, FBI spokeswoman in Miami.
Field agents in Miami did not investigate the claim, she said. Orihuela said she did not know whether FBI or another agency had investigated the tip, but that FBI headquarters said it wasn't credible.
"We passed the information on even though we deemed the information not credible," Orihuela said.
"Everything is taken seriously, pretty much, nowadays."
By Monday, word of the potential terrorist activity in downtown Miami had begun to spread, so much so that police began receiving calls from alarmed downtown business people. Moss said he had heard some businesses were evacuated, but police were not involved.
The alert, issued late in the day, said that the department would take "extra precautionary measures" over the next three days to ensure public safety.
Police asked Miami residents go about their everyday activities, and said they did not recommend that anyone alter their daily routine. However, the alert asked residents to remain vigilant to terrorist activity and report suspicious persons or activity to law enforcement.
"On the heels of at least a rumor causing at least the telephones to start ringing off the hook we opted to put this information out and hopefully calm some fears and remind people that we get a lot of threats but we don't expect that they will come to anything," Moss said. "We've taken every law enforcement precaution. Basically there's no need for any additional panic or concern."
City Commissioner Joe Sanchez, who first learned of the threat Monday afternoon, said the police "absolutely" did the right thing. "Any threat should be taken seriously," he said. "What happens if you don't put out the advisory and something happens? That burns us. We don't want to do that."
Such terror-related tips -- plentiful since the Sept. 11 attacks -- often prove to be without merit, Orihuela said. "They think they're doing the right thing," she said of the warning. "You want to err on the side of caution."
Former Broward County Sheriff Nick Navarro agreed. He said the Miami police department did the right thing by passing the information on to the public. "We're in a different situation than we've ever been in before," Navarro said. "We need to be more alert. We need to know more about what is taking place."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pcpipeline16sep16,0,5430602.story?coll=sfla-news-palm
Thanks JP.
Russia's military on verge of collapse?
Pre-emptive strike capability a must for Japan
Foreign journalists cannot be banned from Iran
US cannot deprive Iran of nuclear technology
Al Zawhiri calls for resisting crusaders
Russian bill puts President in charge of judges
Anti-terrorism exercise held in Oryol, USSR
US cybersecurity chief suddenly resigns
Libya demands permanent UN seat
Minnesota truckers trained to watch for terrorist activity
Mexico's fire volcano erupts - is there a pattern here today?
Miami was right tp take the threat seriously. One of these days one of these threats will be dead-on correct. Whoever does NOT take threats seriously and then an attack ensues, will be immortalized as having been the direct cause of whatever damage or mortality occurs. If nothing else, it fosters preparation of the population affected.