Heightened Alert at Airports: CTV (CANADA)
Josh Pringle
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Canada’s airlines and airports have been put on a heightened state of alert.
CTV News reports Transport Canada issued a warning to all Canadian airlines, airports and the Air Transport Security Authority on Saturday after Canada received credible intelligence of a potential terrorist threat.
CTV says the warning says “further sharing of intelligence following the December 25th terrorist attempt on the United States has prompted the government to remind airlines and airports to continue to be vigilant and apply screening measures with consistency and vigour.”
Sources told CTV that British and US intelligence are worried that another 20 terrorists who were trained in Yemen will come to North America.
CTV News quotes sources as saying Canadian intelligence also had credible information of other terrorists planning to come to Canada.
Federal authorities told CTV News the terrorists did not pose a direct threat to Canada, and they were not planning to attack the Olympic Games in Vancouver.
Transport Canada tightened security measures at Canadian airports following the failed attempt to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight bound for Detroit on Christmas Day.
A Transport Canada spokeswoman told The Globe and Mail that the warning is still in effect, but no new security measures have been put in place.
http://www.cfra.com/?cat=3&nid=70556
MOREHEAD CITY, NC (WTVD) — Authorities say they've shut down the Port of Morehead City after containers carrying explosives were punctured.
They've not yet said how it happened, but they said 9 containers were involved.
There have been no injuries and the problem has been contained to land. There is nothing in the water.
Morehead City Police said explosives experts from Cherry Point EOD were on scene with Morehead City firefighters and the Coast Guard to deal with the situation.
According to Morehead City Police Chief Wes Lail, the chemical involved is Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), which is one of the most powerful high explosives known.
It's the same material that 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab allegedly tried to use to bring down a Northwest flight approaching Detroit on Christmas day.
Highway 70 is closed from 4th St in Morehead City to the Morehead-Beaufort high rise bridge.
Also, officials were recommending a voluntary evacuation of the downtown Morehead City area and telling people to stay away from windows and doors. No foot or vehicle traffic was permitted in the port area.
Carteret County Emergency Management said it expected the area to be closed off for most of the day Tuesday.