Transcript of Feb. 7, 2003 News Conference
Attorney General John Ashcroft, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge & FBI Director Robert Mueller
ASHCROFT: Good afternoon.
The United States government continuously reviews intelligence reporting to assess the current threat condition designation and to determine whether or not it should be adjusted.
After conferring this morning with the Homeland Security Council, the decision has been made to increase the threat condition designation currently classified at elevated risk, to increase that threat condition designation to the high-risk category.
This decision for an increased threat condition designation is based on specific intelligence received and analyzed by the full intelligence community. This information has been corroborated by multiple intelligence sources.
Since September the 11th, the U.S. intelligence community has indicated that the Al Qaida terrorist network is still determined to attack innocent Americans, both here and abroad. Recent reporting indicates an increased likelihood that Al Qaida may attempt to attack Americans in the United States and/or abroad in or around the end of the Haj, a Muslim religious period ending mid-February 2003.
ASHCROFT: Recent intelligence reports suggests that Al Qaida leaders have emphasized planning for attacks on apartment buildings, hotels and other soft or lightly secured targets in the United States.
The recent bombings of a nightclub in Bali, Indonesia, and of a resort hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, demonstrate the continued willingness of Al Qaida to strike at peaceful, innocent civilians and their ability to carry out attacks on such soft or lightly guarded targets.
There are also indications bolstered by the recent arrests in London where chemical--ricin was discovered. These indications demonstrate Al Qaida's interest in carrying out chemical, biological and radiological attacks.
Historically, the intelligence community has indicated that Al Qaida might also seek economic targets, including the transportation and energy sectors, as well as symbolic targets and symbols of American power.
ASHCROFT: The United States government has specific intelligence and experience demonstrating that heightened awareness and readiness on our part deters terrorism. Since September the 11th of 2001, the United States has substantially improved its capacity to disrupt, deter and prevent terrorist attacks; terrorist attacks against innocent Americans.
The active cooperation of the American people, your cooperation, has been instrumental in preventing major terrorist attacks.
Since September the 11th, 2001, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has evaluated and investigated over 3,000 terrorist threats within the United States, issued 103 warnings to state and local law enforcement, and announced three--not including today's announcement--three major nationwide terrorist alerts.
The threat condition designation was last raised to high risk on September the 10th, 2002, and reduced to an elevated risk standing two weeks later.
Today's change in the threat condition designation from elevated risk to high risk will trigger a series of security precautions by the federal government, as well as state and local governments and U.S. citizens, to increase readiness to prevent terrorism.
ASHCROFT: I have directed that joint terrorism task forces nationwide coordinate their local response with U.S. attorneys and local anti-terrorism task forces. In addition, I have directed that all appropriate information be shared with the joint terrorism task forces in order for federal officials to work effectively and cooperatively with state and local officials.
We are not recommending that events be canceled, nor do we recommend that individuals change domestic, work or travel plans. As we have in the past, we ask that Americans continue their daily work and leisure activities with a heightened awareness of their environment and the activities occurring around them.
As President Bush recounted in the State of the Union address, we have arrested or dealt with many Al Qaida key commanders, 3,000 suspected terrorists have been arrested worldwide, other terrorists have met a different fate. We've uncovered and stopped terrorist conspiracies in the United States, in Yemen, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, the Straits of Hormuz and Gibraltar. We've broken Al Qaida cells around the world. And with the support of the American people, we will prevail in this war on terror.
It's my pleasure now to introduce the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Tom Ridge.
RIDGE: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
RIDGE: This heightened threat level has been or is being communicated to local and state law enforcement officials, federal agencies, members of Congress, governors, state homeland security advisers, mayors and those who share responsibility for the nation's private infrastructure. Information is also being provided to the nation's first responders: our fire, emergency, health and public safety personnel.
The nation's Homeland Security Advisory System provides a national framework to inform and to facilitate actions appropriate to different levels of government and to private citizens, either in their workplaces or in their homes. The system couples the threat level with protective measures which should or will be taken to reduce our country's vulnerabilities.
As a result of the increase in the threat level, as a result of going from yellow to orange, elevated to high, specific protective measures will be taken by all federal agencies, both to reduce vulnerabilities and many of them actually will, we believe, serve as a deterrent.
Increased security personnel at points of entry may, in fact, limit points of entry and exit, enhanced identification checks, restrictions to travel around federal facilities and airports among the many augmented security measures that will be implemented.
As I mentioned before it's very important for you all to understand that we've also alerted the medical and public health communities, as well.
Now, at the same time as the federal government is taking action, I want to reassure you that governors, mayors, state and local law enforcement and private sector managers of the nation's critical infrastructure will be taking action, as well.
We are asking all of these leaders to increase their security and vigilance wherever necessary, and we remind them that sometimes varying their security is a good alternative, depending on their circumstances, to actually enhancing it.
RIDGE: It depends on a lot of circumstances. But doing things differently can be a deterrent as well.
Now, as the attorney general mentioned, for individual Americans, we ask you to remain aware and remain alert. We are not recommending that events be canceled or travel or other plans be changed.
We do recommend that individuals and families, in the days ahead, take some time to prepare for an emergency. The thought occurred to me, traveling to join my colleagues for this public announcement, that when I step across the threshold of the front door at night I'm not sure I'm seen as the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security; I'm a husband and a father, a parent and a spouse. And I know a lot of parents and spouses are saying, ``Well, what should we do? What does this mean for us?''
And all I would say to you as a parent and a spouse is, take the time now to get informed. There are so many available sources of information that you could refer to that will give you and your family and your businesses and your schools some comfort to know that in the eventuality, with the possibility that something might happen, you have taken some precautionary measures or taken some steps to minimize the damage or perhaps to avoid it altogether.
One of the thoughts that I would just simply share with you, it's probably not a bad idea to sit down and just arrange some kind of a contact plan, that if an event occurred you want to make sure you can--the family wants to get in touch with one another. That's not a bad thing to do to prepare in advance of any kind of emergency, whether it's a natural disaster or a terrorist attack. Doesn't take a great deal of time. And I think it would make family members a lot more comfortable if they knew they were able to get in touch with one another in the event something happened.
I think there are ways that parents and adults can certainly be bettered informed, because, as we've described to you, terrorist attacks really can potentially take many forms. And so by learning more now about these kinds of attacks, you and your families can be armed in advance with the kind of information that you might need and that will be critical to your health and your well-being.
And I would encourage Americans to log onto the department's web site. You can log on to www.dhs.gov to learn more information, to become better informed about steps that individuals can take simply to be better prepared.
RIDGE: The call that we give today, which Americans have certainly heard before, is based on our knowledge and our conviction that heightened awareness and readiness deters terrorism and saves lives. Each of us in our own ways can contribute to the security of our nation, our families and our communities.
Today we call on Americans to continue to persevere in the face of this evil, in the face of this terror. Because we understand that by working together not only will we persevere, but we will prevail.
Thank you.
MUELLER: Thank you, Tom.
As already has been stated, recent intelligence reports have led to the decision today to increase the threat level.
And today, as well as every day since September 11th, the FBI has stood ready to protect Americans against those who seek to do us harm. And today, as every day since September 11th, the FBI is fully mobilized to respond through our Joint Terrorism Task Forces, which are comprised of federal agencies, as well as state and local law enforcement.
The Joint Terrorism Task Forces have been working 24 hours a day following up on information we may have received.
But I've got to emphasize also, we believe that an alert public is our strongest asset. If you observe suspicious activity, I encourage you to contact your local FBI office or your local police, and to report such activity.
I thank you.
And I turn it over to you, General.
ASHCROFT: Yes?
QUESTION: Is your knowledge based on specific targets or has this decision been made based on the weight--more of the weight of everything that you're looking at?
ASHCROFT: I think I'll stick with the statements we've made that intelligence, which is assessed on a regular basis, provides a very sound basis and a responsibility for us to communicate what we believe to be an elevated threat to the American people. And for us to go beyond that is probably not in the interest of our doing our job successfully or well.
QUESTION: Is this at all tied to the buildup of military presence in the Gulf and the confrontation with Iraq or is it more just continuing threat of Al Qaida cells?
ASHCROFT: Well, this is information regarding Al Qaida, which has been manifest in a variety of settings around the globe, very clearly unrelated to the issues that you have otherwise referenced: the Bali bombings, the kinds of activities discovered in England, the kinds of activities which were so damaging in Mombasa.
So when you put it in that context, it's pretty clear that this is a situation where Al Qaida is going to strike the United States and at the interest of free people in other settings. And it's very clear that they were willing to do that on September 11th of 2001 without any special provocations. It's their intention to do what they can to disrupt free people and to destroy the values for which America stands and which it represents to prominently in the world.
It's very clear to us that we've taken action based on this kind of intelligence and the kind of information that reflects this as the motivation which is a long-continuing motivation of Al Qaida.
QUESTION: This is for Secretary Ridge. How confident are you that state and local agencies know specifically what they should be doing in response to the threat and that they have specific plans in place?
RIDGE: Well, first of all, for several months now, every governor has called upon someone within their own community to become their homeland security adviser. And every single state and every single governor has worked very, very hard to coordinate activity among their state agencies and were appropriate working through their state agencies down to the local agencies, law enforcement, public health and the like.
And so, I'm confident that, as this country continues to expand its capacity to prevent terrorist attacks, to reduce our vulnerability and then respond to an attack if it occurs, that we get stronger every day. Perhaps not so much because of what the federal government is doing--and we have a significant role, but we have to give a great deal of credit and highlight what the governors and the mayors and the people of local communities as well as the private sector are doing.
QUESTION: We've talked to state and local community people and they say they are confused about what to do. They don't know what specific actions they need to take going from yellow to orange. They feel that they are already doing everything they can and should be doing. Can you be more specific about what they should do with this elevated risk?
RIDGE: Well, I think you'll find that, through the efforts of--particularly of the FBI, they know the simultaneous communications are going out as we speak to the 17,000 to 18,000 law enforcement agencies around the country, that we've given them some information. And they are professionals and they know how to act on specific information, and they will.
Again, we realize and understand that, from a technical point of view, we want and need to build up our capacity to reduce our own vulnerability and to respond in a terrorist event. That's one of the reasons that the state and locals are hopeful, they're very, very hopeful that the Congress will send--make available to them an excess of $3.5 billion for the first responders, a nearly significant part of the $6 billion to combat a bioterrorist threat that the president submitted to Congress almost a year ago.
And when those dollars are available to these state and local communities, because these state and local communities have been developing plans to enhance their capacity to respond through training and the acquisition of equipment, they'll be in even better shape today than they were yesterday.
So yes, I have confidence that they know what to do.
Agency Actions in Response to the National Elevated Alert Level
(document issued by the White House)
[begin White House text]
Today, Secretary Ridge and Attorney General Ashcroft announced that the national alert level is being raised from Yellow (Elevated Risk) to Orange (High Risk). As a result, many agencies that will be a part of the new Department of Homeland Security on March 1, are taking additional steps to increase their protective measures. Following are examples of additional steps being taken by some of these agencies. These are provided as representative examples, and should not be construed as the complete Federal response to the increased threat level.
Border and Transportation Security Directorate
Transportation Security (Transportation)
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners will increase the number of random examinations conducted at airport security checkpoints.
- Federal Air Marshals will be assigned to a greater number of flights.
- Parking at airports will be impacted. The amount of parking spaces may be reduced and/or there may be increased random inspections of vehicles in and around the airport facility.
- TSA will increase perimeter security in and around airports.
Customs (Treasury), Immigration (Justice) and APHIS (Agriculture)
Passengers
- Customs, Immigration and Agriculture inspectors will be questioning more people more closely as they cross the land border, or enter the United States through international airports. As part of this process, they will also more closely scrutinized travel documents.
- Customs inspectors will increase the number of vehicles referred to secondary inspection areas for closer scrutiny with non-intrusive inspection equipment.
Cargo
- Customs inspectors will increase the number of cargo containers and trucks that they identify for additional screening with non-intrusive inspection equipment.
Between Ports of Entry
- The Border Patrol’s Special Response and Border Search and Rescue teams nationwide have been placed on standby and are prepared to deploy to address specific threats as necessary.
Federal Protective Service (GSA)
- FPS will increase security at Federal Buildings by performing additional checks of hand carried items and by increasing random searches of vehicles.
- FPS will closely coordinate with local police to reduce any potential vulnerabilities to federal facilities.
- FPS will strictly enforce parking rules, and severely restrict vehicular parking within 300 feet of federal buildings.
Emergency Preparedness and Response
- FEMA is placing the on-call Emergency Response Team -National on ALERT.
- FEMA is in regular contact with security Points of Contact to collect and disseminate threat and intelligence information.
Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate
National Infrastructure Protection Center
- Continue all security requirements for previous Threat Conditions
- Provide alert information to Infragard program and Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) points of contact
- Contact affected ISACs at least DAILY to collect and disseminate threat and intelligence information
- Be prepared to release additional sector-specific warnings and alerts, as indicated by the warning source material
- Review plans for and be prepared to immediately implement SEVERE (Red) Threat Condition measures
- Place all analysts on-call
- Place all watch standers on-call
National Communications System
- Continue all security requirements for previous Threat Conditions
- Review plans for and be prepared to immediately implement SEVERE (Red) Threat Condition measures
- Place all watch standers on-call
- Establish daily contact with the NCS membership top share threat and intelligence information
- Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office
Continue all security requirements for previous Threat Conditions
- Review plans for and be prepared to immediately implement SEVERE (Red) Threat Condition measures
- Be prepared to respond to questions from the Private Sector
- Federal Computer Incident Response Center (FedCIRC)
Continue all security requirements for previous Threat Conditions
- Contact security Points of Contact at least DAILY to collect and disseminate threat and intelligence information.
- Review plans for and be prepared to immediately implement SEVERE (Red) Threat Condition measures
- Additional actions determined if there is a cyber nexus to the alert
Office of Energy Assurance
- Continue all security requirements for previous Threat Conditions
- Establish closer contact (daily) with industry to share information
- Review plans for and be prepared to immediately implement SEVERE (Red) Threat Condition measures
U.S. Coast Guard
- The U.S. Coast Guard is increasing its patrol operations with cutters, aircraft and boats, and is closely monitoring maritime activity.
- The U.S. Coast Guard is working with state, local and other federal agencies to increase security in the nation’s ports and on waterways.
U.S. Secret Service
- While the vast majority of steps are not observable to the general public, the U.S. Secret Service is and remains at a heightened state of alert.
