The United States is satisfied with its current terrorism alert
level and acknowledges potential al-Qaida links to the plots in
Britain, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said
yesterday.
"I think given what we know now, we're comfortable that we're at
the right posture," he said during a round of talk show
appearances.
In response to an attack at a Scottish airport and two foiled
car bombs in London, US airports and mass transit systems are
tightening security ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.
Airports are at the second of five security threat levels -
orange - indicating a high risk of terrorist attacks. The current
national threat level is yellow, or the third highest, indicating
an elevated threat.
Chertoff said he does not plan to change those levels. "At this
moment we don't have a specific credible threat against the United
States," he said.
The Transportation Security Administration is posting more
agents outside terminals at some airports, White House spokesman
Tony Snow said.
"There will be some inconvenience of passengers in terms of
longer wait times," Snow said. Local police also may take separate
measures, he added.
(China Daily via agencies July 2, 2007)
