Terror level expected to be lowered soon
From Kelli Arena
CNN Washington Bureau
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Despite the cancellation of 14 international flights, travelers seem determined not to give in to security fears
Officials say it may never be known if a terror attack was prevented. CNN's Kelli Arena reports.
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Government officials tell CNN they expect the national threat level to be lowered from orange, or "high" risk of attack, to yellow, or "elevated" risk of attack, within the next week.
However, they said certain sectors are expected to be kept at the higher level because of concern they could still be terrorist targets.
The officials emphasized no decision has been made on exactly when the national level will be lowered, but they seem comfortable with the two-pronged approach.
Sources familiar with the discussions said the sectors that are expected to be kept on high alert include aviation, ports, nuclear facilities and other major infrastructure sectors. (Full story)
Officials said the threat information coming in now is more general in nature and not as specific as it was heading into the holidays. However, there is still concern about a possible attack within the United States because prior intelligence suggested a time-frame of November through early February.
Authorities say intelligence is monitored on a daily basis, and at any time new information could come in that could change the scenario.
The Department of Homeland Security on December 21 raised the threat level to orange, the second-highest level on the five-tiered system. The department said al Qaeda may use international flights to launch attacks on the United States. Within days the agency ordered international air carriers to place armed government officers on some flights to, from and over the United States.
The move followed a "substantial increase" in the volume of intelligence pointing to possible al Qaeda attacks, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said at the time.
The United States last raised the domestic terrorism threat level to orange May 20, 2003, after suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia and Morocco blamed on al Qaeda. That alert lasted 10 days before the threat level was returned to yellow.
Other orange alerts were raised in 2002 around the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks and in February 2003, on the eve of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March.
