Posted on 06/28/2002 6:13:44 PM PDT by freeperfromnj
June 28 — Government officials will discuss boosting the national color-coded terror alert from yellow to the more critical orange during next week's Fourth of July holiday festivities, law enforcement sources told ABCNEWS.
The current Homeland Security Color Advisory Code of yellow indicates that federal authorities believe there is a serious, increased and predictable threat of terrorist activity. Orange indicates that a terrorist threat is more critical and may be likely to be carried out.
Under orange, armed forces and law enforcement agencies coordinate various security measures as extra precautions are taken at public events. Law enforcement officials prepare to work at alternate sites or with forces that are dispersed in various locations. Certain areas are restricted to essential personnel only.
However, sources tell ABCNEWS, regardless of whether the terror color code is upgraded, government officials plan to increase security measures around the country on Monday, July 1. Extra security steps will be taken in cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
Officials also told ABCNEWS the Pentagon is preparing to dramatically increase its combat air patrols over about a dozen U.S. cities during the holiday week.
High Level of ‘Chatter’
The Bush administration had scaled back on combat air patrols in recent months because of expense and the toll it was taking on both the planes and the pilots. Officials said the increased patrols and security measures next week are not responses to an specific threats but rather a "high level of chatter," or intelligence intercepts, indicating a high level of activity by al Qaeda and other terrorist cells.
Here is a review of the five colors of the terror color-code system, from the lowest to highest levels of alert:
Green — Normal. This signifies there is a low risk of terrorist attack.
Blue — Guarded. This will signify a continuing general threat of terrorist activity.
Yellow — Serious. Yellow indicates an increased and predictable threat of terrorist activity.
Orange — Critical. This will warn that a terrorist threat may be likely.
Red — Severe. Terrorist activity on a specific target may be imminent under this warning.
ABCNEWS' Pierre Thomas in Washington and Chris Vlasto contributed to this report.
Green — Normal. This signifies there is a low risk of terrorist attack.
Blue — Guarded. This will signify a continuing general threat of terrorist activity.
Yellow — Serious. Yellow indicates an increased and predictable threat of terrorist activity.
Orange — Critical. This will warn that a terrorist threat may be likely.
Red — Severe. Terrorist activity on a specific target may be imminent under this warning.
Infra-red ----- Stealth attack probably occurring, but we can't see it.
Black ------ Overt attack occurring, but lots'a folks are so scared they have their eyes shut.
Brown ------- Several attacks occurring openly, we are in deep do-do.
White -------- Attacks have occurred, all liberals have fainted.
That almost sounds better than "Office of Homeland Defense." There's just something about that word homeland that conjures up echoes of "Vaterland" and "Mother Russia." Why not just call it Office of Domestic Defense or make it a domestic division of the Department of Defense?
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