*EPF511 02/07/2003
U.S. Upgrades Terrorist Threat Warning to Second Highest Level
(Intelligence reports warn of a "high risk" of terrorist attack) (650)

By Merle D. Kellerhals, Jr.
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The United States raised its terrorist threat alert to the second-highest level -- code orange -- based on significant intelligence reports warning of a "high risk" of a terrorist attack from the international terrorist group al-Qaeda, Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said February 7.

Intelligence reports suggest a potential terrorist attack around the Muslim holy period of the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to the holy Saudi city of Mecca, which begins February 9, they said at a Justice Department briefing. President Bush gave the order to raise the threat alert status from yellow, the third-highest level, to orange earlier February 7.

"After conferring this morning with the Homeland Security Council, the decision has been made to increase the threat condition designation, currently classified at 'elevated' risk, ... to the 'high' risk category," Ashcroft said. "This decision for an increased threat condition designation is based on specific intelligence received and analyzed by the full intelligence community. This information has been corroborated by multiple intelligence sources."

Ashcroft said recent reporting indicates al-Qaeda may attempt to attack Americans in the United States and abroad during or at the end of the Hajj, which continues until mid February.

"Recent intelligence reports suggest that al-Qaeda leaders have emphasized planning for attacks on apartment buildings, hotels and other soft or lightly secured targets in the United States," he said. "The recent bombings of a nightclub in Bali, Indonesia, and a resort hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, demonstrate the continued willingness of al-Qaeda to strike at peaceful, innocent civilians, and their ability to carry out attacks on such soft or lightly guarded targets."

The recent arrests of terrorists in Britain who were planning to use the fatal toxin ricin demonstrate al-Qaeda's willingness to use chemical, biological and radiological weapons, Ashcroft said. There is also some indication that al-Qaeda might attempt to attack "economic" targets, such as the transportation and energy sectors as well as some symbolic targets and other symbols of American power, he said.

The alert level has been at code yellow, or "elevated," since September 24, 2002. Ridge had announced September 10, 2002, that President Bush ordered the level raised to "high" risk to coincide with the first anniversary of the original terrorist attacks on the United States September 11, 2001, but then lowered it about two weeks later.

Ridge said this increased threat level is being communicated to federal, state and local officials, and health care officials across the United States.

"The call that we've made today, which Americans have certainly heard before, is based on our knowledge and our conviction that heightened awareness and readiness deters terrorism and saves lives," Ridge said.

The terrorist threat alert system, developed by Ridge shortly after September 11th, is based on a five-point, color-coded scale. Code green indicates the lowest risk level, while code blue indicates a guarded general risk, code yellow an elevated threat, code orange a high risk, and code red indicates severe risk of terrorist attacks.

The terrorist alert system couples the threat level with protective measures that will be taken by the U.S. government to reduce the country's vulnerabilities.

The code orange alert level calls for a number of government and private-sector responses. These include:

-- requiring the federal government to coordinate necessary security efforts with state and local law enforcement agencies as well as the National Guard,

-- requiring government and private-sector officials to take additional precautions at public events and possibly consider alternative venues or cancellations,

-- requiring government agencies to prepare to work at alternate sites or with a dispersed work force, and

-- requiring government security personnel to restrict access to threatened facilities to essential personnel only.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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