"London-like attack not expected in U.S."...Chertoff: "no intelligence"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

After first issuing a statement that U.S. officials had no indication of a similar attack in the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff hours later announced a hike in the terror alert level to high, or orange, for the railway and subway systems. The alert level was also raised for intra-city bus lines. Chertoff earlier said, "The Department of Homeland Security does not have any intelligence indicating this type of attack is planned in the United States."

A spokeswoman for U.S. intelligence czar John Negroponte said, "All of our appropriate intelligence resources are focused on helping the British, as requested, to determine who is responsible for these attacks."

The reaction was a step higher than what occurred in the United States after the March 11, 2004, train bombings in Spain that killed almost 200. Those attacks did not lead to a raising of the color-coded terror threat but transportation systems across the country were advised to be on higher alert. U.S. officials also said after the Madrid bombings there was no intelligence to indicate that "terrorist groups" were considering such an attack on the United States.

The last time the Department of Homeland Security raised the threat level was in November 2004 for the financial services sector in New York, New Jersey, and Washington from high or code orange to elevated or code yellow. The country remains at an overall code yellow alert while the system, criticized in the past for too many alerts and having little impact, has been under scrutiny.

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/106/2898/640/Chertoff,%20Michael.jpg

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=2&u=/nm/20050707/ts_nm/security_usa_dc

[Wickerman]

1. They have no intelligence of pending US attacks?

They had no intel that London would be attacked? They had no intel that Spain would be attacked? Face it, they never have intel about diddly-squat and anything they offer up to suggest otherwise is worthless.

[ThoughtCriminal]

2. So, was there intelligence that there would be an attack

in London? and if so, what good did it do?

And if there wasn't, why is that reassuring to U.S. commuters?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

4. I guess "code orange" means they're "on the job"...or something.

I really pity anyone who buys into the "Bush is protecting us" scam, the Dick Cheney battle cry of "If Kerry is elected we'll get HIT again"...

It's all just too sick and disgusting for words.

[thebigidea]

3. this Chertoff guy certainly has a low profile

this is the first time i've even seen him quoted in an article in months... I guess when you look as weasely as that, you're kept in the dark. Him and Negroponte...

[MercutioATC]

5. And they were expected in London??

:eyes: