US mass transit alert goes to 'orange'
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-08 07:21

U.S. officials have long worried that terrorists would try to strike the nation's mass transit system.

Authorities are particularly concerned about transit systems in Washington, New York, Boston, Miami and Chicago because of earlier indications of al-Qaida's interest in those cities, said John Rollins, a former senior Homeland Security intelligence official now with Congressional Research Service.

In February, FBI Director Robert Mueller told the Senate Intelligence Committee that U.S. transportation systems "remain a key target." He said last year's attacks on commuter trains in Madrid showed the devastation that a simple, low-tech operation could achieve.

U.S. security concerns and resources have focused on commercial airlines since 2001, said Sen. Susan Collins (news, bio, voting record), R-Maine, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee.

"We tend to always be looking backward at what the last threat or attack was," Collins said. "As soon as we close the gaps in one area, I'm certain the terrorists will exploit in other areas."

Security efforts were not being increased at U.S. airports after Thursday's attacks.

Close

Special police detachment established in Xi'an Panda cubs doing well in Wolong Suspect arrested in Taiwan

Today's Top News     Top China News
Taiwan's KMT Party to elect new leader Saturday         'No trouble brewing,' beer industry insists         Critics see security threat in Unocal bid         DPRK: Nuke-free peninsula our goal         Workplace death toll set to soar in China         No foreign controlling stakes in steel firms	No foreign controlling stakes in steel firms       China-made telescopes race to space       'No trouble brewing,' beer industry insists       HK investors cautious on mainland homes       Law in pipeline to ban money laundering       Overseas students test their Chinese abilities