The threat is unverified and the alert level has not changed. However, authorities are not taking any chances:
New York city police increased security throughout Manhattan on Friday and at bridges and tunnels in response to what they called an “unverified radiological threat.”
But they said the city’s alert status for an attack was unchanged at “orange.”
The New York Police Department said in a statement it had increased the deployment of radiological sensors on vehicles, boats and helicopters and had set up vehicle checkpoints in lower Manhattan and at bridges and tunnels.
Police confirmed the increased security was in response to receiving information that a dirty bomb may go off around 34th street in Manhattan on Friday evening.
The Empire State Building, New York City’s tallest building, Madison Square Garden and Macy’s department store are in the 34th Street neighborhood.
When terrorists have a dirty bomb you’ll know it – the bomb will be the tip. I’m not too worried about this one.
Update:
It looks like DEBKAfile is behind this one:
The threat was picked up by DEBKAfile’s monitors from a rush of electronic chatter on al Qaeda sites Thursday, Aug. 8.
The al Qaeda communications accuse the Americans of the grave error of failing to take seriously the videotape released by the American al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gaddahn last week. “They will soon realize their mistake when American cities are hit by quality operations,” said one message.
Another said the attacks would be carried out “by means of trucks loaded with radio-active material against America’s biggest city and financial nerve center.”
A third message mentioned New York, Los Angeles and Miami as targets. It drew the answer: “The attack, with Allah’s help, will cause an economic meltdown, many dead, and a financial crisis on a scale that compels the United States to pull its military forces out of many parts of the world, including Iraq, for lack of any other way of cutting down costs.”
There is also a message which speaks obliquely of the approaching attacks easing the heavy pressure America exerts on countries like Japan, Cuba and Venezuela.
Debka is a fun read but they’ve been wrong more times than I can count.
2 Responses
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August 11th, 2007 at 1:15 am
This dirty bomb threat on the transportation systems is very real and this is exacty why The army should be concerned with this threat. Recently a Korean spy was caught in a new jersey restaurant and was charged on July 20, 2007 with lying to the FBI and spying in Federal District Court in NYC. The restaurant may have been the same one which is owed by Robert Egan, but even if it is not the same restaurant there is still a grave security issue that needs to be addressed. Robert Egan a confirmed n Korean representative and self professed advocate with ties to n Korea per Newsweek magazine article by m. Hirsh 0ctber 2006 called we are a nuclear power. Robert Egan is associated with a Fort Dix New Jersey National Guard Jag officer LTC Mark Winkler. Mark Winkler has a law practice in Franklin lakes NJ and is a personal friend and attorney for Robert Egan. LTC Mark Winkler was probed by the FBI and Military Intel Omar Bolotok on Fort DIx for espionage issues with N. Korea and for failing to report on his past security clearance applications contact with a representative of a foregn government. This was also confirmed by the 1079th GSU Commander who had a meeting with the FBI, MI Officer Omar Bolotok in 2007 but fort dix officials prefer to ignore the threat to avoid media attention and embarrassment. LTC Winkler was never held accountable for the last 12 years he placed the NJ army national guard and fort dix and united states at risk with failing to disclose this information and the JAG corp on fort dix are supporting LTC Winker out of fear that his exposure will mean they failed to report this incident and risk timely. Please contact the appropriate authorities to make sure the potential threat is investigated and not covered up. Thousands of soldiers lives are at risk behind this incident and LTC Winkler had access to troop key nyc transportation chokepoints, national guard mobilization strategy and troop movements, locations of our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, IED risks, and military protective instructions as well as locations of our Nuclear power plants in the US and transportation safety issues. Your help is needed, please write to your congressman if you are a nyc or new jersey resident and report this on to your commander if you are a member of the armed forces. Click on this link to hear Robert Egan’s Radio Interview http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6665732
August 11th, 2007 at 8:55 am
It’s a well known fact that a radioactive dirty bomb can’t cause more damage or loss of life than a non-radioactive bomb. It doesn’t actually release enough radiation to cause much harm. It’s impact is primarily in the panic it causes over fear of radiation.
Why would something that won’t harm many people cause such a panick? Because of neo-con fear mongering, helped by sources such as DEBKAfile.
Now, I’m not SAYING that DEBKAfile is doing Al-Qaeda’s work for them with such articles, but I’m sure Al-Qaeda is not at all unhappy about the ammunition DEBKA just provided them for their psychological warfare.