Federal officials say that security measures across the country will be increase ahead of the July 4th holiday weekend.
Police say that they are concerned about ISIS sympathizers in the country who might heed the group’s call for major terror attacks during the month of Ramadan.
New York Congressman Peter King told ABC there was “great concern” about terror attacks and that it was unusual for officials to put out warnings so far in advance of a holiday unless they had major reason for concern.
“ISIS is incomparable as far as terrorist organizations as far as being able to reach,” King said on “This Week.” “They can reach the disaffected, they can reach the deranged, they can also reach the ideologically committed.”
King is not alone in his concern.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re sitting here a week from today talking about an attack over the weekend in the United States. That’s how serious this is,” Former CIA deputy director Michael Morrell told CBS News.
The warnings come on the heels of three coordinated terrorist attacks in Europe that were claimed by ISIS.
If you will be flying anywhere in the United States over the next few months, prepare for a few extra minutes in the security line.
Al Qaeda published a new “online recipe” for creating bombs that cannot be detected by the current security measures in place at airports. The result is that the TSA will be conducting random spot checks of carry on baggage at all airports.
Jeh Johnson, head of Homeland Security, met with airline officials to provide them the details of the terrorist thread. The guidelines from Al Qaeda not only included the bomb mixture but also told bombers where to sit on the planes for maximum damage.
“We have no specific, credible intelligence of an attack of the kind in Paris last week being planned by terrorist organizations in this country,” Johnson said in a statement. “But, the reasons for these measures should be self-evident to the public: the recent attacks in Paris, Ottawa, Sydney, and elsewhere, along with the recent public calls by terrorist organizations for attacks on Western objectives, including aircraft, military personnel, and government installations and civilian personnel.”
“The chief Al-Qaeda bombmaker Ibrahim Al-Asiri is innovative in his designs and isn’t to be underestimated,” security expert Ryan Mauro told FoxNews.com. “For Al Qaeda, it is still somewhat of a victory if they can get an explosive on an airliner or even just inside an airport, regardless of whether the device ignites properly.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced a mass change in security officials after the Islamic terrorist group al-Shabaab struck at a quarry in northeast Kenya.
The terrorists brutally executed any non-Muslim working at the quarry. At least 36 people were confirmed dead and several others are missing.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the terror attack and said they will keep executing non-Muslims in Kenya until the country pulls their troops out of Somalia, where they are working with African Union forces to eliminate the terrorists.
Kenyan security officials say the terrorists snuck up on the workers while they were sleeping and then separated the Muslims before shooting others at close range.
President Kenyatta said that police chief David Kimaiyo and Interior Minister Joseph old Lenku are out. He called on the parliament to quickly approve his proposed replacement because “our bickering only emboldens the enemy.”
“He responded in an extremely emotional manner.”
That was one of the excuses given by a spokesman for the Oakland Unified School District after a school resource officer was arrested on felony charges for dumping a wheelchair bound student onto the floor after punching him several times.
A wheelchair bound student, Francisco Martinez, was lingering with some other students in a hallway late for their classes. Two officers were seen in a security camera video telling the students they needed to move on to their classrooms. The students refused, so one of the officers, Marchell Mitchell, grabbed the handles of Martinez’ wheelchair and started to push him down the hallway.
Martinez objected and started slapping the officer’s hands in an attempt to get him to stop pushing the wheelchair.
The officer then handcuffed Martinez, struck him several times and then dumped the student onto the floor. The school immediately fired Mitchell and had him arrested by Oakland police.
“We as a district apologize to the family of the victim,” said Oakland Unified School District spokesman Troy Flint.
The site of 2014’s Super Bowl will have security that could remind visitors of a militarized zone.
The New York Police Department announced huge security measures that will surround the NFL’s biggest game of the year. Parking at the stadium will be limited to people who apply for a parking permit and get approved in advance. No one will be allowed to walk into the area of the Super Bowl. If you are not approved for a parking permit, you will have to ride an official transportation vehicle approved by the NYPD.
Helicopters with radiation detectors will be flying around and scanning the area before, during and after the game. The helicopters will also patrol the area of the stadium and New York during the week prior to the game.
Counter terrorism cars with 360 degree cameras, bomb dogs and video cameras mounted on buildings and electrical poles will be monitored 24/7.
The NYPD will also lock down Times Square, prohibiting auto traffic for the week before the game. Portions of Broadway and 41st street will be blocked off as well.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it was stepping up security on its commuter rail lines due to the State Department’s worldwide terrorist alert on Friday.
The agency’s police department added extra officers and increased bag screenings at major rail hubs. Continue reading →