NYC Ups Security Level Amid 'Credible' Terrorism Threat
Due to a "credible" terrorism threat amid the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, officials in New York City have been implementing security measures to keep residents safe.
Checkpoints were scattered throughout New York City in response to the "credible but unconfirmed" threat of terrorism attacks, which were reportedly scheduled to occur amid the 9/11 anniversary.
U.S. counterterrorism officials revealed a report of a car or truck containing a bomb targeting subways and commuter trains in New York and Washington, D.C.
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NYC officials have taken precautionary measures, placing officers armed with automatic weapons at popular tourist spots, such as Wall Street, Times Square, and the site where the Twin Towers once stood in lower Manhattan.
An American official speaking on condition of anonymity told Reuters that the threat may be linked to al-Qaida leader Ayman as-Zawahri, and was issued from a tribal area in Pakistan.
This weekend marks ten years since hijacked planes were used to kill 2,995 people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.
President Barack Obama ordered increased vigilance following news of the threat.
On top of vehicle searches, police were to deploy radiation detectors and use bomb-sniffing dogs along bridges and in the subway system.
Commuters in New York City were running into delays Friday due to the increased check points, but City officials insisted that the precautionary activity was necessary.
Raymond Kelly, New York City Police Commissioner, told CNN: "We have to be concerned. Terrorism is theater and this is a stage, right now probably the world’s biggest stage."
"We have the opening of the 9/11 memorial, the president and two former presidents here, obviously a lot of high profile public officials will be here," continued Kelly, and repeated, "so we have to be concerned."
In May, Navy SEALs found and killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Recovered from the compound were documents that revealed interest in attacking the U.S. again near the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Officials had warned that those plans were not detailed and appeared to be merely a discussion of ideas.
