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Subscribe to RSSNew York and Washington are on high alert after United States intelligence officials received information about possible attacks leading up to the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. NBC's Pete Williams reports.
On Thursday, U.S. government officials warned of a credible but unconfirmed al-Qaida threat to use a car bomb on bridges or tunnels in New York City or Washington to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The warning follows an updated travel alert issued by the U.S. State Department on Sept. 2 noting the upcoming anniversary and reminding U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad “of the continued threat posed by al-Qa’ida and its affiliates.”
"In the past, terrorist organizations have on occasion planned their attacks to coincide with significant dates on the calendar,” the alert said.
The warnings may have some American travelers wondering: Do I need to take any extra precautions as the day draws near?
The consensus: No need to stay home, but on this day especially, be alert.
“As we head into the 9/11 anniversary weekend, we continue to urge the American public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement authorities," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Friday. "Simply put, if you see something, say something."
Security officials say they are, as always, prepared. “As with any other significant day or peak travel period, passengers may notice an increased security presence at airports and mass transit systems,” said TSA spokesman Greg Soule.
Alex Puig, regional security director for the Americas for International SOS and Control Risks, said that while “the heightened security posture of the authorities is warranted by the symbolism attached to the date … the main impact of the 9/11 anniversary on travelers is expected to be delays associated with that increased screening at access points to and within airports and other transport facilities such as subways.”
Puig added that the presence of large crowds at and traffic restrictions around the planned commemorative events is likely to disrupt travel and activities nearby as well. “Travelers should particularly anticipate well-attended gatherings in New York City and Washington, D.C.,” he said.
Mike Kelly, president and CEO of On Call International, said 10 years ago his company’s call center helped a lot of clients rearrange and re-work travel plans on and after 9/11. “We would not advise against travel on 9/11 this year. Rather we would suggest several ways in which to travel informed and prepared.”
Kelly suggests staying tuned to the news and connected via telephone and social media in case of travel alerts and events that may affect your trip. He also suggests packing some food items and an extra supply of medications (in their original containers) in your carry-on bag in case of unexpected delays.
Have a travel-related question you’d like answered? Overhead Bin will track it down. Send us your question.
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Find more by Harriet Baskas on Stuck at The Airport.com and follow her on Twitter.
Leave a Comment:
"Be alert" is government-speak for "Remain scared".
The whole "terrorist" threat was so overblown during Bush's reign it was ridiculous. It was thrown in your face 24/7 for one purpose, to keep you living in fear.
Since 9/11 we've seen the introduction of the Patriot Act, Homeland Security Act and the Military Tribunals Act. Our freedoms are being removed one by one, and they're doing it in such a way that we stupid sheep actually embrace the idea... Sure, let's pass a bunch of laws to protect us from the "boogeyman" terrorists who are "coming to get us", never mind that these laws are aimed squarely at -US-, not some phantom rag-head that the government wants you to believe is hiding around the corner, just waiting to kill you.
Thanks to Bush and Cheney, your home can now be searched, unannounced and without a warrant, without you being home, you can in turn be arrested with no charges revealed to you, detained indefinitely with no access to a lawyer and legally tortured, all under the suspicion that you might be a "terrorist" or a threat to national security.
In other words, you no longer have any rights or protections.
Wake up people.
Give every airline passenger a baseball bat and dare a ter rorist to try and pull something. Remember, it wasn't innocent civilians who armed themselves covertly and caused the mayhem on 9/11. It was criminals who could not care less about what the laws say about weapons on airplanes. Americans, stand up to terror and take back our country!
No, they can still do something on 9/10 or 9/12. I believe it dosen't make a difference what day it is. It is a fear tactic. They feel as long as they instill fear, they have won. I work in Wash D.C. everyday and if I worried about what will happen everyday, I wouldn't be able to commute and work at my job. It's all a part of our lives now and we need to adjust to that reality.
Wooow, is Pantagon still masterminding an attack or what? They have already taken so much lives on that particular day and now trying to implement a new phsyco threat into the poor innocent brains? MSNBC will you go away from your Lord when returned?...
The government has a job to do..........to keep it's citizen's in constant fear. That way they can justify the camera's, TSA, patdowns, body scanners, iris recognition software(yes, it's here, and soon will be installed at selected airports, and border crossings), etc., under the guise of 'protecting' it's citizens. It's about power, control, and money. Never before, in the history of this country has the concept of 'security' been so powerful and profitable a weapon. Wait till we see what's coming...............
TSA no need to stay at home but be alert of being molested and scanned.The terrorists are on the prowl, and we all know who those Terrorists are?They start with the Patriot act!
The Patriot Act,Black Mark on this Country and Power turned against the people of this country all for your Psuedo Safety Sake!The BOOGY MANS GOING TO GET YA!
Terrorists Shame America. Of course they want you to travel how else will they justify harrassing Americans. The paranoid states of america - the former home of the free and the former home brave - now reduced to a quivering mass of jello - who's winning the war on terrorism????????????
Bring our brave men and women home. Too many have died, too many disfigured. They have fought bravely for us. Welcome them with open arms. Let the people of those countries, no matter how distasteful one may find their modes, decide their own fate. We have to feed our hungry, house our homeless and care for our vets. Spend the billions on education so our country might lead once more.
The only reason I'm worried about flying is the TSA....
No problem, what you don't know won't hurt you, but it might kill you.
Gawd... I'm swoo scaared! The boogeymen are everywhere!
Thank you TSA for looking after little ole' frightened me.
I'll say a big prayer for you - after I crawl under my bed tonight.
Are they serious??? A credible but unconfirmed al-Qaida threat, what does that mean????
What it means to me is they are like the weatherman that says partly sunny or cloudy with a chance of rain.
No matter what happens he can say he was correct.
This is all a bunch of crap. Go anywhere you want and don't worry about anything.
Depends if you're a Republican or Democrat.
Worrying and real terror threats may be irrelevant. :-P
If they attack us again, they should be scared, because we will go to their home country and liberate the heck out of them for 10 years.
Last year, i came back on a flight from Germany on 9/11.....I can't say it didnt cross my mind, but then I considered that the best security would definately be on that day. So I felt really good as I stepped on the airplane coming back to my home in America. The greatest country in the world.
It's an election year folks. Nothing new here. It's the ol' keep 'em scared and guessing tactic.
If we say we as Americans are not going to bow to terrorism, and we say we are brave in the face of danger, then why are we bowing? If one man in a cave sitting in Afghanistan can affect 350 million Americans lives 10 years later, what could one country do? Statistically, we're just sitting ducks when you think about it.
Start believing we're under attack or that there is a real threat when the US government actually does something about the US/Mexico border. As it stands today, 10 years after 9/11.. any terrorist could pay any one of the willing millions of illegal immigrants who cross in to this country annually to smuggle weapons in to America.
There are some not so friendly to the US countries and groups in South America. It only takes one illegal immigrant to backpack a shoulder fired missle in to Arizona, Texas, or California so that a terrorst can shoot down a commercial plane from someones backyard near an airport as it takes off or lands. But.. The TSA is keeping you safe by searching your underwear for bombs right? We're supposed to believe the US government is keeping us safe while leaving the backdoor wide open? Documenting and accounting for who is actually coming and going on our nations busiest border seems to be the last priority of the US government even as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches. Those who don't sneak accross through the desert simply walk or drive over with forged documents. Until the US gov does something about the border, this is all just security theatre.
Come to the safety of the mountains!
Terrorism(dictionary): the state of fear and submission
If we fear and submit to our government, I guess they're terrorists.
Guess again
What snarky comments.
Had the airport screeners done their jobs, 9/11 would never have happened. Remember, ALL of the highjackers set off metal detectors time after time and were allowed to board the planes anyway.
Even knowing that, I'm sure each and every one of you who are talking about the boogyman and loss of freedom while traveling wouldn't change a thing about airport screening now, to not have yo go through the horror those airline passengers did at the hands of those who wanted to murder them.
I'd rather put up with enhanced screening than be plowed into a building at 500+ MPH any day.
This Sept. 11th will be the safest air travel day ever.
Probably half the plane will be air marshals.
.
9/11 was a stage. It was used to brainwash the people and take control of them. Bin laden lives in a cave. He was basically dead when 9/11 happened to from a kidney disease. He didn't do @!$%#.
Check out the 9/11 post on this blog. It's a ways down. . tumblr . com/
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its the law of attraction . tumblr . com/