[LeArc] Threat Level to Orange 12/21

[Duane Whittingham]

WASHINGTON  � The government is raising the national threat 
warning from yellow, the midpoint on its five-color scale, to 
orange, a federal official said Sunday.
	
Tom Ridge  the homeland security secretary, planned to discuss 
the change at a mid afternoon news conference at the agency's 
headquarters. A department official confirmed the elevated threat 
level but declined to provide details before Ridge's appearance.

U.S. officials by the end of last week were telling holiday 
travelers to be vigilant about the threat of terrorist attacks. 
The warning was prompted in part by a raised level of ominous 
intercepted communications that has not quieted for months.

The significance of the sustained level of intelligence "chatter" 
is unclear, the officials said.

Homeland Security officials said they did not expect a change in 
the threat level unless more specific intelligence was received.

On Friday, the Arabic television network Al-Jazeera  aired a new 
statement from Ayman al-Zawahri, the chief deputy of Usama bin 
Laden. The CIA said Saturday it believes the tape is authentic.

"We are still chasing the Americans and their allies everywhere, 
even in their homeland," according to the voice on the tape.

Some statements from Al Qaeda  leaders are later regarded as 
preludes to attacks; others simply propaganda.

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