Oct. 6, 2005 — The New York City Police Department is investigating what it deems a credible tip that 19 operatives have been deployed to New York to place bombs in the subway, and security in the subways will be increased, sources told ABC News.
While the police department is taking the threat seriously, it is also urging the public not to be alarmed because – while the source is credible – the information has not been verified.
According to sources in intelligence, emergency services and police headquarters, when three Iraqi insurgents were recently arrested during a raid by a joint FBI-CIA team, one of those caught disclosed the threat. Because it slipped out during the arrest, the plot was deemed credible.
After several days of work, sources said, the NYPD is increasingly concerned because it has been unable to discredit the initial source and additional information from the source.
The 19 operatives were to place improvised explosive devices in the subways using briefcases, according to two sources.
Subway threat made
By Joshua Robin and Rocco Parascandola
STAFF WRITERS
October 6, 2005, 4:31 PM EDT
A "credible threat" to the subway system has prompted a vast mobilization of police officers, law enforcement sources said today.
Hundreds of officers were expected to be dispatched as early as this afternoon to every station in Manhattan -- and possibly system wide -- to thwart the attack, which was said to timed to the Jewish High Holidays and the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Scores of officers from various narcotics units are being called in to assist in patrolling the subways, beginning as early as this afternoon. Many were expected to convene first at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Police sources also said that cops were expected to be kept on 12-hour tours over the weekend.
Police could not yet identify the source of the threat, other than to call it "credible."
It comes as the city emerges from two days of hightened alert during the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana. Police officers patrolled outside of synagogues as thousands of congregants attended services.
MTA officials said they were unaware of the threat until alerted by a reporter. They were expected to return calls later this afternoon.
"The 19 operatives..." and then there where 19 9/11 hijackers. Hope this is a prank tip.
"...tip that 19 operatives..."
19 operatives. That's a familiar number. there were 19 operatives involved in the 9/11 attacks. What is it with '19' that gets these pricks so jazzed up?
Let me guess... Canaidian-Mexican, Judeao-Christian operatives???
So they will be searching the bags of little, gray haired old ladies? Or will it still be every fifth person?
It's almost 530 and I am watching Fox for the news conference, and people are still going into the subways.
Maybe that's why the MTA has been saturating the radio airways the last couple of days with public service announcements about the need to stay alert and report unusual situations like people dressed inappropriately for the weather, bags with wires hanging out from them, etc. I started hearing the ads on Tuesday night during the Mark Levin show on WABC radio in NYC and heard it again last night during Laura Ingram's show.
I wonder whether the insurgent would have disclosed the threat if he had been interrogated subject to the restrictions in the legislation that the Senate passed yesterday.
I beleive this is dis-information to make the bad guys make a move and be flushed out. But, then agian I could be wrong, lets hope so.
The police will be frisking every little old white gray haired grandma and will leave no baby's diaper unsearched in their efforts to make sure they don't actually look for who would be most likely to place a bomb on a subway. (Hint: They have brown skin, black hair, come mainly from countries west of India and east of the Canary Islands, and follow a religion that rhymes with fizzlam.)
While the police department is taking the threat seriously, it is also urging the public not to be alarmed because – while the source is credible – the information has not been verified.
If they do manage to pull something off, their timing is what I would call terrible. We've just gone through 2 devastating hurricanes. A man-made distaster at this time would be the last straw (except they're ingnoring Oklahoma - again). Look out, muslims.
"Iraqi insurgents were recently arrested during a raid by a joint FBI-CIA team"
Maybe I'm missing something here. FBI-CIA informs NYC about Do-ra-mi, and then someone from DHS says the threat isn't credible, but FBI-CIA works for DHS. At least I thought they did after 100 million dollars, or however much that took. Can't Bush grab these guys together and say, "Uh..guys lets talk about this. It isn't playing well." CIA Guy: "But Mr. President, It's a slam dunk!"
Pay no attention to the men being investigated or people protesting on the mall!
THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING!
signed,
Chicken "Little" Hawk