Homeland Security

DATE=12/22/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=N-Y / TERROR ALERT (L O)

NUMBER=2-311121

BYLINE=LEAH KRAKINOWSKI

DATELINE=NEW YORK

INTERNET=

VOICED AT:

/// EDS: MAY BE USED WITH U-S TERROR THREAT,

CR 2-311118, ISSUED EARLIER TODAY ///

INTRO: Hundreds of extra police officers and heavily armed guards have been posted around New York City as the United States government raised the nation's terror alert to the second-highest level. From New York's V-O-A bureau, Leah Krakinowski has the story.

TEXT: Holiday travelers and shoppers encountered tighter security at airports, bridges, highways, and tourist sites around New York City following warnings that al-Qaida terrorists may be plotting attacks against the United States during the upcoming Christmas season.

While the terror alert level has fluctuated for the United States as a whole, New York City has been at Code Orange -- the second highest level -- ever since the color-coded system was introduced at the beginning of 2002, a few months after the September 11,2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.

New York Governor George Pataki and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg reassured New Yorkers that they should continue on as normal, by doing some last-minute Christmas shopping in the major tourist area of Times Square. As Governor Pataki put it:

/// PATAKI ACT ///

We are at a heightened level of alert, but there's no safer big city anywhere in America.

/// END ACT ///

New York Mayor Bloomberg said the city's 36-thousand 500-officer police department was doing everything it could to protect its residents and tourists.

/// BLOOMBERG ACT ///

What we have to do is to make sure that we assume we are a target, keep our protection up at the highest level. That's what's going to assure our safety.

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The terrorism warning jangled some nerves on Wall Street, as the Dow Jones industrial average seesawed up and down and brokers said the heightened alert was dampening some of the expected year-end enthusiasm by investors.

Elsewhere in the United States tightened security was in evidence at airports. Other measures were also in effect, including increased checkpoints for trucks at bridges such as the Golden Gate in San Francisco and random inspections were stepped up for ships at ports such as Los Angeles, in California and Fort Lauderdale, in Florida. (SIGNED)

NEB/NYC/LK/KL/FC