US to use Facebook, Twitter to issue terror alerts

Washington: The US government`s colour-
coded warning system is being replaced with a more specific
and informative plan that would offer two levels of alerts --
elevated and imminent.

According to a draft Homeland Security Department plan
obtained by The Associated Press, the public could see the
warnings on Facebook and Twitter.

The colour-coded system has been one of the
government`s most visible counter-terrorism tools since the
September 11, 2001 attacks.

The government`s terror warnings could be withheld
from the public entirely if announcing a threat would risk
exposing an intelligence operation or a current investigation,
according to the government`s confidential plan. The new
system is expected to be in place by April 27.

PTI