IMF, World Bank, NYSE, Citigroup, Prudential targeted
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Citing "unusually specific" evidence of possible al-Qaida attacks against five key financial sector buildings, including the International Monetary Fund and the New York Stock Exchange, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Sunday that Washington, D.C. and northern New Jersey would join New York at the orange, or high, terrorism alert level.
"Iconic economic targets are at the heart of their interest," Ridge told a news conference at the Department of Homeland Security, adding the rest of the country would remain at the yellow, or elevated level.
"The preferred method attack, it's being suggested in the reporting, is car and truck bombs," Ridge said.
Still, Ridge said the government has "no specific information that says an attack is imminent, but given the specificity and the quality of information around these sites, obviously one would conclude if you were considering a potential attack, these might be among the targets."
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior intelligence official told reporters Sunday that the extent of detail in the report is virtually unprecedented and is a cause for great concern.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city would deploy its full array" of counterterrorism methods but didn't say he was raising the terror alert status to red, or the highest level.
New York has been at the orange level since the system was created following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Bloomberg did say the police department would increase security measures and was working closely with corporate security directors.
In addition to the IMF and the NYSE (NYSE: news, chart, profile), Ridge said al-Qaida has designs on the World Bank in Washington, the Prudential Financial Center (PRU: news, chart, profile) in Newark New Jersey, and the Citigroup (C: news, chart, profile) buildings in New York.
"Since September 11th, 2001, leaders of our commercial financial institutions have demonstrated exceptional leadership in improving its security. However, in light of new intelligence information, we have made the decision to raise the threat level for this sector, in these communities, to bring protective resources to their highest capacity," Ridge said.
Ridge noted that this is the first time the government has decided to use the newly created terrorism alert system in such a targeted manner.
"Compared to previous threat reporting, these intelligence reports have provided a level of detail that is very specific. The quality of this intelligence, based on multiple reporting streams in multiple locations, is rarely seen and is alarming in both the amount and specificity of the information," Ridge said.
New York also is expected to see heightened security precautions ahead of the Republican National Convention later this month, when President Bush is to be nominated for a second term.
Ridge said he hoped workers at the targeted building and in the affected neighborhoods would continue "to keep on being America."
"I would like to think, as sobering and as difficult as this news is, ... that the folks that work at those particular sites or stroll those streets would have the resolve and maybe a little bit of defiance to say ... we are going to go about leading our lives and we are not going to let threats or this kind of information turn us into fortress America," Ridge said.
In New York, Stock Exchange spokesman Ray Pellechia said, "Our policy is not to comment on security issues," while telephone calls to Citigroup and Prudential offices went unanswered late Sunday.
In Washington, IMF spokesman Bill Murray took the announcement in stride, saying the fund is "taking the appropriate security precautions" and "will be open for business."
"World Bank security personnel received a full briefing from the U.S. authorities earlier today in regard to the existence of an increased threat alert affecting the international financial institutions in Washington, D.C., including the World Bank," said Damian S. Milverton, a World Bank spokesman. "The FBI, Secret Service and Washington D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department are increasing their support to us as the bank enhances its security measures in response to the threat alert. There have been no specific threats against the bank, however, and we will be open for business as usual Monday."
