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US boosts security on trains after Madrid bombings
Washington, Mar 13: US authorities are deploying more officers on trains and at stations, adding teams to look for explosives and asking passengers to be alert following the deadly bomb attacks in Madrid, a Department of Homeland Security official here said.
Washington, Mar 13: US authorities are deploying more officers on trains and at stations, adding teams to look for explosives and asking passengers to be alert following the deadly bomb attacks in Madrid, a Department of Homeland Security official here said.
Homeland Security Under Secretary Asa Hutchinson, who is in charge of border and transport security, said a bulletin went out to state and local officials advising them to consider protective measures for railroads and mass transit systems.
He called it a ``precautionary step`` until a determination is made on who had been responsible for the 10 simultaneous blasts on four packed commuter trains that killed 199 and wounded nearly 1,500 people in Madrid on Thursday. Asked if the Basque separatist group Eta or al Qaeda was to blame, Hutchinson said it was too early to know whether it was ``a regional terrorist threat`` or ``part of the al Qaeda international effort.``
Hutchinson said there was no specific recent intelligence indicating that terror groups are considering a similar attack in the United States any time soon.
Still, he said al Qaeda members in the past have talked about such targets and added, ``we have had a substantial concern ... Over the possibility of an attack on our transit system.`` Over the past 24 hours, Hutchinson said that there are more law enforcement officers at train stations and on routes, that additional bomb detection teams are looking for unattended items and that passengers are being urged to be on the alert for suspicious packages or activities.
Black said Amtrak management had stressed to railroad police and other employees ``the need to maintain vigilance.``
Bureau Report
He called it a ``precautionary step`` until a determination is made on who had been responsible for the 10 simultaneous blasts on four packed commuter trains that killed 199 and wounded nearly 1,500 people in Madrid on Thursday. Asked if the Basque separatist group Eta or al Qaeda was to blame, Hutchinson said it was too early to know whether it was ``a regional terrorist threat`` or ``part of the al Qaeda international effort.``
Hutchinson said there was no specific recent intelligence indicating that terror groups are considering a similar attack in the United States any time soon.
Still, he said al Qaeda members in the past have talked about such targets and added, ``we have had a substantial concern ... Over the possibility of an attack on our transit system.`` Over the past 24 hours, Hutchinson said that there are more law enforcement officers at train stations and on routes, that additional bomb detection teams are looking for unattended items and that passengers are being urged to be on the alert for suspicious packages or activities.
Black said Amtrak management had stressed to railroad police and other employees ``the need to maintain vigilance.``
Bureau Report