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NY-DC Trains Still Top Terror Concern
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ShareJune 02, 2006 9:13 AM
New York's rail terminals and commuter rail lines are at the top of the terrorist hit list, according to a Department of Homeland Security strategic report published just a week before Tuesday's announcement that New York's anti-terror funds were cut.
"Following the March 2004 bombing of commuter trains in Madrid, Spain, foreign terrorists expressed a strong interest in attacking passenger trains in the United States. The terrorists specifically were interested in striking an above-ground passenger train traveling between two major cities, and considered New York City and Washington, D.C., as possible targets," the report says.
The 13-page document, obtained by ABC News, states that there is no "imminent" threat but notes that there have been 57 possible threats to U.S. rail assets since 2004. It warns much more needs to be done to protect the nation's rail assets, and both New York's Pennsylvania Station and Washington's Union Station are top targets. Both cities saw federal anti-terror funds cut yesterday. It appears to rely on previously reported intelligence and fresh analysis to arrive at its conclusions.
"The Terrorist Threat to the U.S. Commercial and Passenger Rail System" analysis states that "DHS has no credible or specific intelligence regarding imminent attacks against the commercial passenger and freight rail sectors in the United States. Previous reporting on al-Qa‘ida, combined with the March 2004 Madrid commuter train bombings and the July 2005 bombings on the London public transit system, however, demonstrate the intent and capability of al-Qa‘ida, and its affiliated groups and sympathizers, to attack these transportation systems."
The report notes that "a review of all-source reporting reveals that 57 actual or possible threats to the U.S. rail system were reported since January 2004, ranging from threats to blow up identified trains or train stations to general threats against unspecified trains and stations. Included in these threats are nine incidents involving explosive devices placed on or near railroad tracks." The majority of these, it notes, can be attributed to criminal sabotage, vandalism and harassment -- not terrorism.
June 2, 2006 in Homeland Security | Permalink | User Comments (2)
Hold on a sec... They know this and they STILL cut funding to NYC!?
Talk about criminal negligence!...
Posted by: Leo Belldaere | Jun 2, 2006 9:48:51 AM
Once again, the government demonstrates that it's perfectly capable of acting just like corporate America - reduce funding whether it makes good "business" sense to do so or not. Obviously, the feds need to continue providing tax breaks to oil company execs and tax incentives to major corporations to send jobs overseas...
Posted by: Gregg Ralston | Jun 2, 2006 1:34:09 PM
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