MONDAY, JULY 2, 2007 | NATIONAL NEWS | WWW.KANSAN.COM THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 15
NATION
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Traffic backs up at a vehicle checkpoint at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on Saturday. Security measures were tightened in some U.S. airports Saturday after two men rammed a flaming Jeep Cherokee into the main terminal of Glasgow airport in Scotland.
Travelers face taut security
British incidents increase security, but not terror level
By Deb Riechmann
Associated Press
KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine U.S. airports and mass transit systems will tighten security in response to apparent terrorist incidents in Britain, the Bush administration said Saturday.
The United States, however, is not raising its terror alert status. President Bush's spokesman and the Homeland Security secretary said. "There is no indication of any specific or credible threat to the United States — no change in the overall security level," Tony Snow told reporters in Maine.
Britain raised its security alert to the highest level possible, an indication that terrorist attacks are imminent.
Snow said after this step was announced in London that the
British government had notified the White House in advance, and that it did not provoke any change in the threat assessment in the United States. Still, U.S. officials were wary. Acting out of "an abundance of caution" during the upcoming Fourth of July holidays, Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff said the government is putting in place plans to increase security at airports, on mass transit and at transportation facilities.
"Some of these measures will be visible; others will not," he said in a statement.
Chertoff added that "at this point, I have seen no specific, credible information suggesting that this latest incident is connected to a threat to the homeland. We have no plans at this time to change the national threat level, although we remind everyone that the aviation threat
level has been raised to orange since last fall."
Orange is No.2 of five levels and indicates a high risk of terrorist attacks. The current national threat level is yellow, or the third highest, indicating an elevated threat.
The Transportation Security Administration is posting more agents outside terminals at some airports, Snow said.
Police stepped up curbside patrols with canine units at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates Newark Liberty in New Jersey and John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports in New York, took "a number of measures as we always do to respond to security situations immediately," spokesman Steve Coleman said.
High court to hear cases after sudden reversal
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to review whether Guantanamo Bay detainees can use federal courts to challenge their confinement, reversing an April decision not to hear arguments on the issue.
The unusual turnabout was announced without comment from justices, who had twice before issued rulings critical of the way the Bush administration was handling detainees. Arguments are expected in the fall.
Associated Press
There was no indication why the justices changed course from three months ago, but lawyers for the prisoners pointed to intervening events as having changed the complexion of the long-running controversy.
in brief
Air marshalls inserted into overseas flights
WASHINGTON — The U.S. is adding air marshals to overseas flights because of concerns about potential terrorism threats originating in Britain and Europe, the homeland security chief said Sunday.
White House subpoenas may become court issue
Associated Press
The Bush administration said it was satisfied with its current terrorism alert level following an attack at a Scottish airport and two foiled car bombs in London.
WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Sunday he was ready to go to court if the White House resisted subpoenas for information on the firing of federal prosecutors.
"If they don't cooperate, yes I'll go that far," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. He was asked in a broadcast interview whether he would seek a congressional vote on contempt citations if President Bush did not comply. That move would push the matter to court.
Associated Press