Agence France Presse February 27, 2003
US lowers terror alert but warns attack risk remains
By Patrick Anidjar
The US government on Thursday lowered the nationwide terrorist alert a notch but warned Americans there was still significant risk of attack.
The five-stage alert was lowered to "elevated" risk from "high" where it has been since February 7, Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced in a joint statement.
The government introduced a five-level colour alert system after the September 11 attacks. "High" is orange, "elevated" is yellow. The highest risk, "severe" is red. US authorities stepped up the alert to its second-highest level on February 7 amid warnings of a possible chemical or radiological "dirty bomb" attack.
Nothing has happened but Ashcroft and Ridge warned that lowering the alert again was not a signal "that the danger of a terrorist attack is passed."
They said it "is only an indication that some of the extra protective measures enacted by government and the private sector may be reduced at this time."
They said government agencies and the public still faced "a significant risk of terrorist attack".
"Detained al-Qaeda operatives have informed US intelligence and law enforcement officials that al-Qaeda will wait until it believes Americans are less vigilant and less prepared before it will strike again," said their statement.
"For this reason, and for the safety and security of our nation, Americans must continue to be defiant and alert."
Extra security precautions will remain around sensitive installations and government offices, including military bases, nuclear power stations, bridges and dams, officials said.
They said checks will still be carried out on cars and other vehicles and anyone entering a federal building.
One of the main factors in deciding to reduce the alert was the end of the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. US intelligence had feared that an attack could be carried out by extremists to mark the end of the Hajj.
Ashcroft and Ridge raised the alert on February 7 saying there was a strong risk of an attack by al-Qaeda, the group that carried out the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington that left 3,000 dead.
The US authorities advised the public to stock up on water and other provisions in their homes in case of a chemical or biological attack.
Many lawmakers and security experts said the alert was overblown as the threat was not credible.
Tim Brown, an anti-terrorism specialist at the Globalsecurity.org consultancy, said the authorities probably realised now that the heightened alert was a mistake.
"They wanted to be covered so that in case of an attack they could tell the population: 'We told you so'."
Opposition lawmakers on Thursday gave the Bush administration a "D" grade on its work to protect the United States as the country edges closer to war with Iraq.
"And that grade may be charitable," snapped Tom Dashcle, the Democrat leader in the Senate, who accused the administration of falling short on funding levels for the newly-created Department of Homeland Security.
In two days' time, 11 federal offices and agencies are to be merged into the new super-agency.
The Democrats have attacked Bush repeatedly for not following through on his pledges to sufficiently fund the sprawling department, and on Thursday introduced an emergency bill for five billion dollars in new funding for first responders in case of a terrorist strike.
Charles Schumer, a Democratic senator from New York, said the administration "do everything they can to pay for the war overseas, as they should, but when it comes to defending Americans citizens here at home ...they don't want to put in any resources."
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Copyright © 2003, Agence France Presse
