City Clamps Down As Authorities Ramp Up Search For Terror Threat

Police have flooded the streets, subways, and bridges of the city as they search for suspects in a "specific, credible but unconfirmed threat" involving car bombs to coincide with the tenth anniversary of 9/11. One NYPD lieutenant on patrol told the News that the heightened-security was unprecedented: "In more than 40 years, I've never seen this kind of all-out attention." Another NYPD official made a more specific connection to the current mobilization: "This is our version of Bush's shock and awe. The idea is to scare off a sophisticated network - let alone three men."

Authorities are trying to track down three men who traveled by plane to the U.S. last month from Afghanistan. One of the men is said to be an American citizen, while the other two may have had U.S. documentation to get into the country. The names of all three are known to investigators, but they were said to be too common to provide much direction.

However, Vice President Joe Biden says authorities are just as worried about a "lone actor" with a bomb as a coordinated group. One NY man has been arrested and charged with trying to join a jihadist group in Pakistan's tribal areas, although officials say it is not related to the current 9/11 anniversary terror alert.

Many NYers weren't thrilled with how the additional security measures have disrupted their lives: “The traffic is insane! Bloomberg says to go about your business, but you can’t go about your business because of traffic,” Steve Troz, who was stuck in traffic on Central Park South caused because of police vehicle checkpoints, railed to the Post. "This is ridiculous. Are they really going to stop every truck?" Jennifer Hicks told the News as she sat on a slow-moving M103 bus.

“When I got off the ‘A’ train on Fulton Street, I saw guys with assault rifles. My nerves are still rattled, but you try and move on the best you can," Cynthia Bizarro, who works at the city Buildings Department, told the Post. Many others refused to gripe, and said the precautions made them "feel a little safer," but for some there would only be one thing to take the anxiety away: “I think only a nuclear warhead-proof tent would make me feel safe," said Carolyn Kim.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Ben Yakas in News on September 10, 2011 10:45 AM

Comments [rss]

robingee

Watch out, Ice Cube! There's a giant face behind you!

ronshapley

At least we won't be bothered by subway mariachi

Chachokeva

Subway mariachi? Are you serious? I haven't lived in NYC for 30 years and would have never imagined mariachis roaming in train cars.

HymietownHero

Gothamist, please stop referring to Guangdong and Guangzhou as Canton. We're all going to have to start getting familiar with Chinese place names.

(Re: photo No. 5)

BarrioPuente

Yes, because 9/11's anniversary is the perfect time to attack a country. Right when a country re-introduced fear and police's it's own people. They're smart enough to put planes into buildings, they're a little smarter then attacking again 10 years later. Repost this next year editing the 10 to 11 later.

Bloomy and Kelly should get over themselves and focus that money spent solving the fact that crime as a whole has started to increase around the city not by this faceless terrorist but by LOCAL terrorist who can't seem to be civilized in their own or someone else's community.

proudliberal1947

Has anyone checked the Anti American corporate OWNED republicans telephones,tweets and emails this has been planned for months and as usual it is a TERRORIST loving corporate OWNED republican that knows about it FIRST, WOW!, they don't know were or when but they DO know WHO and what Nationality the offender(s) is or are?

Always around the days of celebration ALWAYS a Anti American CORPORATE OWNED republican agenda FEAR and HATE. Funny how the Anti American corporate OWNED republicans ALWAYS know when and were? I wonder WHY is that? These Merchants of DEATH are about Lies, Misdirection and MURDER, this is what the Anti American corporate OWNED republican wants they are looking for a way t implement the "PATRIOT ACT"

Remember it was on the Anto American corporate OWNED republican watch that we were ATTACKED, they were WARNED and ignored the warnings, they can NOT be trusted, how come it is ALWAYS the Anti American corporate OWNED republican that knows when and were and WHO? I guess when your over throwing a COUNTRY the only thing that matters is who is and how Much they are paying. INVESTIGATE the Anti American corporate OWNED republican party, they were on Watch when THEY FAILED to protect this Nation and have been SELLING this Nation OUT ever since.

PrettyAmiable

lol?

edgie186

"This is ridiculous. Are they really going to stop every truck?"
Could you possibly say anything more pompous, Jennifer Hicks?

StarryGordon

I'm staying home until you all are done having your fun downtown. Enjoy the circus! Maybe you can have another one next year!

Roger_the_Shrubber

If anything big does go down, the first responders will certainly be invited.

Official ceremonies, that's another story.

neustreber

The threat IS the attack.

Some chatter on some cell phones = millions spent on 'heightened security'.

100

"The threat IS the attack."
Excellent point..

petercow

So by that logic, you would be the guy who said, "Yeah, we overhead the chatter, but decided not to do anything about it?"

neustreber

What you just said was not by my logic whatsoever. I actually didn't pose any logic as to what to do.

I would be the guy who says, 'let's have SMARTER security'... The millions we've spent on the TSA wouldn't have prevented 9/11... simply locking the cockpits would have.

Similarly, paying a bunch of cups OT to have submachine guns (EDIT: assault rifles) hanging around in the subway wouldn't have prevented London, or Madrid.

Fighting a modern war (which is more PR than bombs) would. Our enemies get it, we're still stuck in an old warfare mindset.... and they're winning, we're being sucked dry.

When I see cops with automatic weapons in the subway I feel LESS safe... because it gives me the feeling that we clearly don't have any idea how to effectively fight this war.

We are losing. Both our economy and image in the world (both which most certainly affect our safety) have been annihilated.

Unkle_Bob

Well then, what are your ideas to do it smarter?

Spirit of 76

Among other things, it's been reported that this threat is uncorroborated. The source has been credible before, but Homeland Security hasn't been able to find any other sources that can back him up in this case. Some caution might be warranted, but this is definitely overreaction.

Unkle_Bob

Your inexpert threat analysis appears to make some glaring omissions. This isn't about just one uncorroborated threat. It's about a credible (even if uncorroborated) threat that happens to fall on the 9/11 weekend, and on the 10th anniversary at that.

It's never about just one piece of information.

lamochila

Spot on.

edgie186

They're assault rifles, btw. Not submachine guns.

Nick Nienaber

when I see the cops out with their assault rifles in the subway my first thought is always "man, if they have to shoot that thing down here....it's gonna be soooooo loud..."

then I push my headphones deeper into my ears juuuuuust in case.