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U.S. Headed for 'Heightened Alert' Stage
ABC News ^ | July 28, 2008 | Pierre Thomas

Posted on 07/28/2008 6:57:33 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Government officials have been quietly stepping up counterterror efforts out of a growing concern that al Qaeda or similar organizations might try to capitalize on the spate of extremely high-profile events in the coming months, sources tell ABC News.

Security experts point to next month's Olympics as evidence that high-profile events attract threats of terrorism, like the one issued this past weekend by a Chinese Muslim minority group that warned of its intent to attack the Games.

Anti-terror officials in the U.S. cite this summer and fall's lineup of two major political parties' conventions, November's general election and months of transition into a new presidential administration as cause for heightened awareness and action.

This is what the Department of Homeland Security is quietly declaring a Period of Heightened Alert, or POHA, a time frame when terrorists may have more incentive to attack.

According to drafts of government memos described to ABC News, the period would run roughly from this August through July 2009.

During this time, homeland security analysts will be asked to redouble efforts to study terrorism leads. And a number of agencies will be asked to review emergency response plans to a variety of attacks, from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to biological weapons.

Officials also are being asked to make sure they are prepared for all contingencies during the transition from the Bush administration to that of the next president.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; bush; crushislam; election; elections; jihadinamerica; mohammedanism; terror; wot
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
It ain't gonna happen, because any terror attack now would assure a McCain victory.

I'm not so sure. It might be spun as a failure of the "hawkish" approach. They already have a history of changing election outcomes with attacks just before elections. They did it in Spain and it worked. They did it in London and it worked. They may well think it will work here too. They have a track record of doing what they've done before. It's also not so much about what will actually happen after an attack, but what they ~think~ will happen afterward.

21 posted on 07/28/2008 9:29:14 AM PDT by Ramius (Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
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To: Ramius

Agreed.


22 posted on 07/28/2008 9:50:50 AM PDT by Rocky Mountain High
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To: Abathar

You know...

Terrorists can kiss my American Ass. I’m planning on traveling OUT of the country during the week of 11 Sep — you know why?

BECAUSE I CAN. Screw the terrorists, if they try to harm me, I’ll fight and I might die, but I’ll die free and I’ll take some of them sons of bitches with me.


23 posted on 07/28/2008 11:19:18 AM PDT by Rick.Donaldson (http://www.transasianaxis.com - Please visit for latest on DPRK/Russia/China/et al.)
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To: Islander7
...we will hit HARD.

"...we will hit HARD", or "...we will be hit HARD"?

24 posted on 07/28/2008 1:32:34 PM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: DuncanWaring

“...we will be hit HARD”

Mind works faster than fingers.

Thanks for the correction


25 posted on 07/28/2008 2:27:31 PM PDT by Islander7 ("Show me an honest politician and I will show you a case of mistaken identity.")
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To: RaceBannon
Hmmmmmm. Nail McCain and we get Obama. Nail Obama and we get Hillary!™.

WASS

26 posted on 07/29/2008 8:33:16 AM PDT by null and void (Barack Obama - International Man of Mystery...)
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To: no one in particular

Airports now at Ernie/Orange alert.


27 posted on 07/29/2008 8:34:38 AM PDT by null and void (Barack Obama - International Man of Mystery...)
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