Major U.S. Cities Unaware of New Terror Ploy, er, Plot

[stickdog]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/security_threat_newyork_dc

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Officials in major U.S. cities from New York to Los Angeles said they had not been informed of any heightened security concern despite the government's announcement on Wednesday of possible domestic terror attacks in the coming months. The mixed signals and lack of communication between Washington and key states highlight a need for a better system to boost public confidence when security alerts are issued, the top homeland security expert at the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress said.

"Many people think the current system of relaying threat alerts to the public could be improved," said Randall Yim, head of homeland security and justice team at the General Accounting Office (news - web sites). "Many times the intelligence information simply isn't detailed enough. When the chiefs of police in major cities are not informed about the current threat, it undermines the system."

(snip)

Philadelphia officials said they had no knowledge of any new threat. Asked if the city was informed about Washington's latest warning, the city's managing director, Philip Goldsmith, said, "No, not as far as I know."

And the Los Angeles Police Department's No. 2 official, Jim McDonnell, said he had not been contacted by Washington. "No information has been given to me as to the time, place or method of attack."