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Preparations for possible attacks gear upNew flight restrictions planned around Washington
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Transportation security was increased nationwide on Saturday and health care officials were urged to be vigilant for symptoms of bio-chemical contamination, a day after the nation raised its terrorism threat level a notch to "high." New York City; eastern Virginia; Portland, Oregon; and Atlanta, Georgia -- host of this year's National Basketball Association All-Star Game -- were beefing up security under the alert warning issued Friday. New flight restrictions are planned for airspace around Washington, D.C., starting Monday. President Bush and his Homeland Security Council raised the threat level from the yellow, or "elevated," level to the orange level based on "specific and credible" intelligence from "multiple sources" that indicated al Qaeda terrorists were planning large-scale attacks. (Full story) The information, Homeland Security Department Secretary Tom Ridge said, "suggested an attack on the United States and the United States' interests -- both within the United States and outside -- is imminent." (Transcript) Some of the information suggested that an attack might be attempted during or just after the Muslim Hajj, the time of pilgrimage to Mecca, which ends this year in mid-February. The terrorist intelligence suggested that an attack could come on the East Coast of the United States and could take the form of a chemical, biological or radiological weapon, government officials said. Washington, Virginia and other areas sent letters to doctors and other health care providers, warning about the possible dangers. "Of possible concern could be attacks involving chemicals, such as ricin, cyanide, or organophosphates and/or radiological dispersal devices (RDD), and dirty bombs," a letter from Virginia officials said. In eastern Virginia, the FBI had alerted its law enforcement partners Tuesday about threat information suggesting that "soft targets," such as hotels either frequented or owned by Jewish people, could be attacked. However, sources have described the credibility of that information as "questionable" and underscored that field offices across the country were following similar leads. Across the country, officials respondAcross the country, officials had a variety of responses to the new threat level, the second heightening since the system was put into place in the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001. Ridge told people to be diligent, aware and alert but to not change their routines. (What to do) "We do recommend that individuals and families in the days ahead take some time to prepare for emergency," Ridge said. (Red Cross on preparedness) General aviation pilots in Washington, D.C., will face new flight restrictions starting 6 a.m. Monday. Pilots flying within a 30-mile radius of the District of Columbia at elevations under 18,000 feet will have to maintain two-way radio contact, use a transponder and beacon code, file flight plans before entering the area and review "notices to airmen" issued by aviation officials. Airport officials in Portland, Oregon, planned to restrict parking near the terminal, but San Francisco, California, airport spokesman Mike McCarron said little change would take place there because the airport is under high alert. On the East Coast, Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine said she was concerned because some officials in her state learned of the raised alert level through media reports. "Given the need to assure heightened security, it's crucial [that] federal officials share information with local agencies as promptly as possible," she said. "Effective information-sharing can mean the difference between a timely or a delayed response, and I want to make sure we get this right." In Florida, Hillsborough County Sheriff Garry Terry said he thought his department had "an adequate number of officers both on and off duty" to keep participants safe at the Florida State Fair, which opened Saturday. Subways and main transportation hubs in New York City -- which has been on the highest alert since the terrorist attacks -- were beefing up security. Metropolitan Transit Authority spokesman Tom Kelly would not comment on specific security measures. (Full story) In Boston, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority police said additional security measures included inspections of subway cars before use. Transit authorities in Baltimore, Maryland, also said security measures have been implemented, but they would not elaborate. In Atlanta, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) said it was on heightened alert because of the All-Star Game this weekend. MARTA spokeswoman Steen Miles said canine units and bomb units have been activated and are operating out of a downtown emergency operations center. MARTA's Special Operations team -- which is trained to respond to biochemical attacks -- "is standing at the ready." In other developments: • The U.S. State Department cited "increased security concerns" when issuing a warning Friday to Americans traveling or living in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Iraq. (Warning to Americans abroad) • The department is reducing staff in Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon in response to a "clear uptick in threats" and as war with Iraq becomes increasingly likely. • Sources said this week that the FBI is watching people believed to be Iraqi intelligence officers in the United States. At least several hundred Iraqis living in the United States who are thought to be supporters of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein are under surveillance. CNN correspondents Kelli Arena, Jeanne Meserve, David Ensor and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report.
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