For the first time, according to media reports, terrorists have directly targeted New York City’s subway system with threats of a bombing, possibly one modeled on those that took place in London this summer. Here’s a summary from an article in today’s Times (“New York Named in Terror Threat Against Subways,” by William K. Rashbaum):
Information about the threat, the officials said, came to light last weekend from an intelligence source who told federal authorities that the three men in Iraq had planned to meet with other operatives in New York.
One official said the group would number about a dozen. Another official said the total was closer to 20 people involved. The men planned to use strollers, briefcases and packages to hide a number of bombs that they planned to detonate on the subways.
“It was a conspiracy involving more than a dozen people aimed at delivering a number of devices into the subway,” one of the officials said.
The attack could happen as early as today or later this month, the officials added. Mayor Bloomberg announced at a press conference yesterday that he was immediately stepping up security, including the random bag searches implemented in July, and told New Yorkers to keep on straphangin’ but to be watchful for any suspicious activity. “If you see something, say something,” he repeated.
On the other hand, Russ Knocke, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, labeled the threat “specific but noncredible” and said there are no plans to alter the threat level either in New York or the nation. The Los Angeles Times even quoted him today as having said, “The intelligence community has concluded this intelligence is of doubtful credibility.” What? Let’s get on the same page, politicos. Now I’m left to wonder if Bloomie’s announcement wasn’t at least in part politically motivated, kind of like our current presidential administration’s shenanigans with the national, color-coded terror alert system.
Lunchtime Update: Oh, great, a bomb scare at Penn Station. According to AFX News, law enforcement officials in biohazard suits, National Guard troops and police with bomb-sniffing dogs were called in this morning to investigate a suspicious substance that had been reported in a soft-drink can near an Amtrak ticketing area. It turned out to be a Drano-like liquid: a false alarm. I also just read that Bloomberg made a show of taking the subway to work this morning, in a gesture to reassure us commuters; hey, I got your gesture right here, buddy. Finally, police are now telling commuters here for the first time to refrain from bringing along backpacks, baby strollers, briefcases or bags, all of which could be used to hide explosives. I think I’ll sigh and walk home from work today.