Reply #34: FBI warns of possible terror threat at sports events

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The FBI said Friday there is no specific, credible threat of a terror attack aimed at college basketball arenas or other sports stadiums but acknowledged alerting law enforcement to a recent Internet posting discussing such attacks.
The FBI and Homeland Security Department distributed an intelligence bulletin Friday to state and local law enforcement nationwide describing the online threat against sporting venues, said Special Agent Richard Kolko, an FBI spokesman in Washington.

"We have absolutely no credible intelligence or threats pertaining to this issue," Kolko said. With conference tournaments taking place this weekend and the NCAA Tournament scheduled to begin Thursday, the bulletin was sent "out of an abundance of caution," Kolko said. "We have been in touch with Homeland Security and the FBI about this issue," NCAA spokesman Erik Christiansen said.

"We do not believe there is an imminent threat. We are in constant communication with the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security and the FBI. This is not new; we are in regular contact with all these law enforcement agencies at every level." Madison Square Garden was made aware of the terror threat early Friday. MSG spokesperson Eric Gelfand said the Garden has been under a high-terror alert since Sept. 11, 2001, and said that MSG officials hadn't noticed anything suspicious Friday. He said all patrons were wanded as they entered the Garden for Friday night's Big East semifinals.

Greg Shaheen, an NCAA vice president who oversees the Division I men's basketball tournament, told ESPN.com in an email from Indianapolis on Friday that Homeland Security and the FBI asked the NCAA "to revisit security plans and assure appropriate contingencies have been made." Shaheen wrote that there had been "no imminent, direct or specific threat related to the NCAA Championships," as referenced in some media reports. Shaheen said the NCAA takes the matter seriously and will work with all host and facility partners. "Our priority is the safety of our student-athletes and followers all day, every day," he said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2363242