[JYO] Threat Level Rasied.. Keep on the look-out for new NOTAMS



WASHINGTON (Feb. 7) - The Bush administration Friday raised the national 
terror alert from yellow to orange, citing a U.S. intelligence warning of a 
''high risk'' of terrorist attack, a senior administration official said.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision was based 
on an increase in intelligence pointing to a possible attack around the 
Muslim holy period of Hajj.

President Bush approved the decision in a meeting early Friday. The 
administration planned to announce the change later in the day.

Senior White House, Justice and Homeland Security Department officials had 
considered raising the level for several days.

The alert has been at code yellow, or ''elevated,'' which is the middle of a 
five-point scale of risk developed after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. It was 
last raised to orange in September. It stayed at orange then for two weeks to 
coincide with the first anniversary of the attacks.

Government officials have grown increasingly concerned about the likelihood 
of terrorist attacks within the United States as intelligence sources are 
reporting an increase in terrorist activity or ''chatter.'' One official, 
speaking on condition of anonymity, said this activity appeared to be peaking 
and was rivaling that seen before the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

U.S. preparation for a possible war with Iraq and Sunday's start of the Hajj, 
the annual Muslim pilgrimage to the holy Saudi city of Mecca, were also key 
factors in the decision to raise the alert status. Muslim holy periods tend 
to raise jitters about terrorist activity among U.S. intelligence officials.

As in the past, officials said they had no information regarding specific 
terrorist threats and no indication of a time, place or manner of any attack. 
The FBI, however, is preparing to tell Congress that al-Qaida remains the 
greatest threat for carrying out a terror attack on U.S. soil.

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