U.S. Lowers Terror Alert Status
The national terror alert was lowered from orange to yellow, administration officials said Thursday, suggesting the threat of a terrorist attack on U.S. soil has eased somewhat.
The move from condition orange to condition yellow ends a period of increased anxiety over a possible impending attack — marked by a run on duct tape and plastic sheeting, air defense batteries around Washington and armed troops on the street of some American cities.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the conclusion of the Muslim hajj holiday period had played a role in the decision to lower the threat level from orange, the second-highest level on the five-part scale.
Counterterrorism officials had said a significant amount of intelligence pointed toward an attack during that time period.
In addition, other, unspecified intelligence suggested that an attack was somewhat less imminent, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
A yellow alert is the third-highest alert on a five-step scale. It means the intelligence suggests a "significant" risk of terrorist attacks. The orange alert is a step higher and means there's a "high" risk of an attack. The highest alert level is red.
The level was raised to orange on Feb. 7, prompting the government and the private sector to impose extra security measures.
But no attack happened, and it is possible the intelligence was incorrect or misinterpreted. It is also possible that enhanced security measures or other factors caused the terrorists to change their plans.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has defended the Bush administration's decision to increase the alert level, even though the government later determined that some of the information which led to the upgrading was likely fabricated.
"The decision to raise it to orange was not based on one or two sources," he said in a broadcast interview last week.
Law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security officials debated for days about the proper time to lower the alert status as chatter among suspected terrorist waned and some leads on possible threats were discredited.
The discussions were held in the shadows of a potential war with Iraq, which is expected to increase the risk of terror attacks against Americans.
As recently as Monday, Attorney General John Ashcroft said there were no plans to lower the national alert level.
According to the New York Times, the intelligence that prompted the alert pointed to two potential attacks, one in the United States and one on the Arabian Peninsula.
The intelligence prompted CIA director George Tenet to warn Congress that an attack — possibly involving a radiological "dirty" bomb — was possible at the end of the hajj.
In addition to Tenet's warning, there was an advisory from FEMA that citizens should stock up on food and prepare to seal their houses against poisons. The FBI warned industries to beware plots to sabotage key facilities.
The multiple warnings contributed to a level of anxiety higher than at any time since Sept. 11, 2001, and a patchwork of visible security measures.
Around Washington, anti-aircraft missile batteries were deployed. U.S. Capitol police bore rifles and were told to carry gas masks at all times. FBI personnel assigned to rapid response teams that would react to any terrorist attacks were told to have a bag packed for three days' deployment and put on standby. Members of Congress were also told to have necessary supplies ready in the event of evacuation.