Government officials have been quietly stepping up counterterror efforts out of a growing concern that al Qaeda or similar organizations might try to capitalize on the spate of extremely high-profile events in the coming months, sources tell ABC News.
Experts point to next month's Olympics as evidence that high-profile events attract threats of terrorism, like the one issued this past weekend by a Chinese Muslim minority group that warned of its intent to attack the Games. Anti-terror officials in the U.S. cite this summer and fall's lineup of two major political parties' conventions, November's general election and months of transition into a new presidential administration as cause for heightened awareness and action.
This is what the Department of Homeland Security is quietly declaring a Period of Heightened Alert, or POHA, a time frame when terrorists may have more incentive to attack. According to drafts of government memos described to ABC News, the period would run roughly from this August through July 2009.
During this time, homeland security analysts will be asked to redouble efforts to study terrorism leads. And a number of agencies will be asked to review emergency response plans to a variety of attacks, from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to biological weapons. Officials also are being asked to make sure they are prepared for all contingencies during the transition from the Bush administration to that of the next president.
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U.S. Customs officials discovered a grenade in an SUV crossing from Canada into the United States over the Ambassador Bridge late Sunday night. The Detroit Police bomb squad was called in to examine the grenade, which officials hadn't yet determined was live or a souvenir, according to one fire official.
Three Canadians and three Americans were in the SUV, the fire official said. Homeland Security officials also were on hand, as was the Detroit Fire Department. Homeland Security was notified because a potentially explosive device was found.
"A bomb squad will be looking at it to determine if it needs to be handled," said another fire officials, Detroit Fire Department Battalion Chief James McBroom, near the scene. Traffic over the bridge was not halted and there appeared to be no slowdowns. The SUV was seen cordoned off at 21st Street near the Ambassador Bridge, where Customs officials and fire crews awaited the arrival of the police bomb squad.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080727/METRO01/807270330/1410/METRO01
“Government officials have been quietly stepping up counterterror efforts...”
Good — very good.