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American Morning

Terror Alert Raised to 'Orange'

Aired March 18, 2003 - 07:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The threat of war brings the threat of new terrorist attacks in the U.S. and on American interests overseas. Just moments after the president issued his ultimatum to Saddam Hussein last night, the Department of Homeland Security raised the nation's threat level to orange, the second highest.
Jeanne Meserve now joins us from Washington with more on the plan to keep Americans safe at home in the case of war.

Good morning -- Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Sources tell CNN the intelligence community believes there is a -- quote -- "Near certainty of an al Qaeda attack, and that the group is in the final stages of planning a large-scale terrorist attack overseas."

The secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, says their planning includes the use of chemical, biological and/or radiological weapons, and that there is a risk of multiple attacks abroad and at home.

Some of the intelligence, which also mentions the risk of retaliatory action by Iraqi agents and Iraqi sympathizers, is from highly reliable sources.

Heightened security at the nation's borders, ports, in the transportation sector and public health arena is being launched under the umbrella of Operation Liberty Shield.

Among some of the steps being taken or recommended: The nation's governors are being asked to deploy National Guard and police to critical locations; asylum applicants from nations where al Qaeda and other terrorist groups operate will be detained until their processing is completed; new temporary flight restrictions will be put in place over certain cities, including Washington and New York; aggressive steps are being taken to inspect imported food and increased security is being urged at feedlots and stock yards and in food production; and national emergency response teams are being pre-positioned to enable quick deployment anywhere in the country.

It was widely anticipated that the nation would move up to orange when hostilities approached, but some say the officials were surprised at the specificity of the intelligence and the level of the response. Cleary, Paula, this orange alert will be more intense than the two that preceded it. ZAHN: Jeanne Meserve, thanks so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired March 18, 2003 - 07:18   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The threat of war brings the threat of new terrorist attacks in the U.S. and on American interests overseas. Just moments after the president issued his ultimatum to Saddam Hussein last night, the Department of Homeland Security raised the nation's threat level to orange, the second highest.
Jeanne Meserve now joins us from Washington with more on the plan to keep Americans safe at home in the case of war.

Good morning -- Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Sources tell CNN the intelligence community believes there is a -- quote -- "Near certainty of an al Qaeda attack, and that the group is in the final stages of planning a large-scale terrorist attack overseas."

The secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, says their planning includes the use of chemical, biological and/or radiological weapons, and that there is a risk of multiple attacks abroad and at home.

Some of the intelligence, which also mentions the risk of retaliatory action by Iraqi agents and Iraqi sympathizers, is from highly reliable sources.

Heightened security at the nation's borders, ports, in the transportation sector and public health arena is being launched under the umbrella of Operation Liberty Shield.

Among some of the steps being taken or recommended: The nation's governors are being asked to deploy National Guard and police to critical locations; asylum applicants from nations where al Qaeda and other terrorist groups operate will be detained until their processing is completed; new temporary flight restrictions will be put in place over certain cities, including Washington and New York; aggressive steps are being taken to inspect imported food and increased security is being urged at feedlots and stock yards and in food production; and national emergency response teams are being pre-positioned to enable quick deployment anywhere in the country.

It was widely anticipated that the nation would move up to orange when hostilities approached, but some say the officials were surprised at the specificity of the intelligence and the level of the response. Cleary, Paula, this orange alert will be more intense than the two that preceded it. ZAHN: Jeanne Meserve, thanks so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.