Bloomberg: NY Should Have Been Told About Nuke Fear

Reuters ^

[Asmodeus]

Mon Mar 4, 2002
Bloomberg: NY Should Have Been Told About Nuke Fear

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Monday New York officials should have been told about alleged fears of a nuclear attack on the city last October as reported by Time magazine.

Time magazine reported on Sunday that a month after the Sept. 11 attacks, top federal officials feared a nuclear weapon obtained from the Russian arsenal was being smuggled into New York.

The White House's Counterterrorism Security Group, part of the National Security Council, was alerted to the danger through a report by an agent code-named DRAGONFIRE, according to the magazine, but New York officials and senior FBI officials were not informed in an effort to avoid panic.

"I do believe the New York City government should have been told" of the alleged nuclear threat, Bloomberg said.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was not notified and was "not unduly distressed that I was not."

"I don't think I could have done much with the information," Annan added. "What was important is that the authorities who have the responsibility for security did what had to be done."

The threat was later determined to be false, but the magazine said counterterrorist investigators went on their highest state of alert -- without coordinating plans with New York officials, including then Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

[summer]

LOL! Oh, that was terrible! LOL...

[gridlock]

The first thing that happened after the planes hit on 9/11 was the bridges and tunnels leading to and from Manhattan were shut down. They were closed for the rest of the day, and did not open until the evening rush. Cutting off Manhattan is Item #1 in the NYC civil defense plan. There is no realistic plan to evacuate all of those people. The plan is to perform triage on a gargantuan scale, and not put a lot of time and effort into New York City. Advance warning works against the plan.

If you want to know what happens when the sh!t hits the fan, look at what happened in the first hours after 9/11.

[Howlin]

If you can find it, read this book:

The Fifth Horseman by Larry Collins

[UCANSEE2]

I think this is an old story, and is being dusted off and unrelentingly highlighted for some other reason.

DING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have a WINNER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Faraday]

Doesn't Nadler move in and out by dirigible? I know he can't be using the tunnels.

[boris]

" Other cities starting hearing rumors they are the actual target and you have the same all across the US."

EVERY major city is--and was--and will remain--a potential target.

Regards from Los Angeles!

--Boris

[Oschisms]

Bloomberg: I shoulda been told about Nuke Fear, so I could hop in my chopper and fly off to Bermuda until the nuclear winter ends...

And the rest of NYC? Who needs 'em?

[usconservative]

Heck, Nadler by himself trying to get out of the city constitutes gridlock.

Just keep him out of the lincoln tunnel......

[Harrison Bergeron]

Well, the good news is that the nuclear bomb will kill any remaining anthrax spores.

[OldFriend]

Bloomberg proving he is not ready for Prime Time.....g-d help us all!

[eastsider]

Quack, quack!!

[summer]

LOL! (Sorry, as I do still have friends in NY, but that is what I honestly believe.)

[Almondjoy]

An old saying comes to mind.. "Loose lips sink ships" Sigh.. some things should REMAIN classifed... btw there were rumors floating around about suitcase long ago.. I remember reading about suitcase bombs on debka. I know I know it's debka.. but still they actually did say there was a detailed (detailed meaning one with a serial # on it) nuke out there.. maybe they were the ones that told time about the informant!

[eastsider]

Seems to me that we at FR were discussing this at the time. If Bloomberg wants in on the loop, he should start FReeping!

I'm not concerned about this particular doomsday scenario. (A) I don't think the A-Rabs have anything more than a dirty nuke, but (B) even if not, I would expect them to hit downtown, and that's far enough away from where I live and work (Manhattan is about 14 miles long).

If they decide to hit midtown, I can only pray that it happens on my way to work through Central Park so I can jump for protection behind the bedrock that passes for landscaping (there are some great niches in there, and I plan my walk to work to pass by these monsters). Besides -- if I get hit, I'll be the last one to know. So what's to worry? : )

[areafiftyone]

I don't think New Yorkers would panic if they knew about it. Look how brave New York City acted during 9/11. Don't forget the last calls the victims of 9/11 made to their loved ones. No panic - just a final sad goodbye to their loved ones. Why do people think New York City is full of cowardly people who would run away at the slightest inkling of terror? You live in New York City what do you think? :-(

[summer]

They're not cowards at all -- but if they have a chance their own lives, they'll take it! As would anyone!

[summer]

Well, I see you have your evacuation route all planned... :)

[Bogie]

Hey guys, due to the way Bloomberg's radio station WBBR 1130 AM carried water for the Clintons during the impeachment hearings, I,was against Michael, because I saw him as a hopeless leftist. But then, slowly, things began to change. Rudy indorced him,-- (Very strange indeed!)

Later I noticed that he got into an argument over a picture of George Washington. He wanted the picture to stay because of its "historic value." ( He dosen't want to destroy history!")Very strange for a leftist!

And now he is trying to reform the NYC school system! Yikes! That's not possible, is it?

I think this guy deserves a chance.

[eastsider]

I spent the afternoon of 9/11 perched by my window, looking downtown at the smoke and watching the jet fighters overhead (tres kewl). More to the point, there was a steady flow of people about three to four abreadst all walking casually uptown. No sense of panic, although it was eerily quiet (except for the jet fighters). I'd expect the same if and when we get nuked.

As for evacuation plans, you can put out a dinner setting for me in your "upstate" residence, A51. : )

(BTW, there's a silver lining to my doomsday scenario -- Yankee Stadium will still be standing. Go Yanks!)

[eastsider]

Oops -- didn't mean it to sound like I was saying the smoke from the Towers was cool, just the jet fighters. The smoke was decidedly uncool. : (