Mass transit threat alert to be lowered

[Newsjock]

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/24hour/nation/story/2630227p-11110088c.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Homeland Security Department decided to lower the terror threat level for the nation's mass transit systems after Friday's rush hour, government officials said.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was expected to end the high alert for city buses, subways and trains after 36 days of being at code orange in response to the deadly July 7 rush-hour bombings in London.

His order would return the national mass transit threat level to code yellow, signifying an elevated risk instead of the high-alert orange, a senior U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not been made yet.

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[KaryninMiami]

1. Guess they've decided to focus on the trucks with explosives threat -

Far more frightening for America then a few train bombs...

[rodeodance]

2. ABC news just reported it also as 'breaking news"

my email:

Breaking News from ABCNEWS.com:

TERROR ALERT THREAT FOR NATION'S MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS TO BE LOWERED


http://abcnews.go.com?CMP=EMC-1396

[rodeodance]

3. Mixed Signals Over Terror Warnings (abc earlier story of today).

"However, ......there are questions about al-Libbi's truthfulness" and has been referred to as "of questionable reliability."





http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/print?id=1031478
Mixed Signals Over Terror Warnings
FBI Warns About Terror Attacks on 9/11 Anniversary, But Homeland Security Downplays Alarm

Aug. 12, 2005 - The FBI has sent out new warnings expressing concerns about possible terrorist attacks on U.S. soil with the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks less than a month away. But FBI officials and the Department of Homeland Security are still unable to sort out or agree upon what intelligence is reliable.

This week, the FBI sent out alerts to New York, Chicago and Los Angeles that an attack on or near Sept. 11 was possible, specifically that terrorists might use gasoline tanker trunks to cause mass casualties.

But the Department of Homeland Security downplayed the warning shortly after the bulletin was sent.

The warning was prompted by information provided by a leading al Qaeda operative, Abu Faraj al-Libbi, who was captured in Pakistan in May and was considered al Qaeda's third-highest-ranking official at the time. Al-Libbi, sources have told ABC News, has told interrogators that al Qaeda was focusing on softer targets and that the organization was pleased with the results of the Madrid bombings in 2004.

However, there are questions about al-Libbi's truthfulness. A statement from Homeland Security said, "the information is uncorroborated, and the source is of questionable reliability."

[uppityperson]

8. Good response-Mixed signals.

BOO! oh, never mind that but BOO! How long can you cry wolf before even your supporters begin to question?

[Roland99]

4. Those random searches are working! See!?!

[katinmn]

5. they're lowering it so they can raise it again when they have to

distract the masses from the messes they've created.

[Talismom]

6. Golly gee, I wonder why I don't feel any safer! n/t

:sarcasm:

Mayber it's because they're the ones who scare me!

[deadparrot]

7. Well, praise Jeebus.

I can venture outside today.

[loudsue]

9. This is BS!

They're going to lower the threat level, while Cheney & Bush & Congress are all out of Washington DC, and they have those "Homeland Security Games" going on next week, like they had on 9/11.

What. Are they just hoping that they can get away with "Well, we didn't have any warnings that they were going to strike! See? We had just lowered the threat level!"

I don't trust these criminals as far as I could throw 'em! And I doubt if I'm alone in that!

:kick::kick::kick:

[leftylady]

10. Good thing tomorrow is Saturday.

I won't take mass transit - not that we really have any here in Kansas City. Can't help it. I'm not like the British.

[Podface]

11. Total Crap

Issue warnings and lower the alert level for transit?

These guys are up to something. They are backed into a corner
now and I'll bet anyone that Bush's job approval drops into
the 30s with this Crawford protest.

One explosion in NY transit and Bush is flying back to
washington leaving Cindy Sheehan with zero story, Rove off the
headlines, and Patriotism on CNN 24/7.

God I hope I'm wrong. 

[KamaAina]

12. So does that mean the Gestapo can stop searching our bags now?

Just wondering...

[darkism]

13. Where was the article about them running gas "tests" in transit systems...

...in the upcoming weeks?

There was a thread about it somewhere a week or so ago...you know how these "tests" always seem to turn into the real thing - a classic sign of MIHOP.

It happened on 9/11 and it happened in London.

[NYC]

14. Tests started Saturday, August 6th.

Supposed to last 3 weeks. I have no idea where the thread is.