U.S. intelligence and law enforcement authorities today stepped up patrols near mosques and recalled an elite U.S. marine unit that handles chemical and biological weapons attacks in preparation for the possibility of terrorist reprisals, following President Obama's announcement that Osama bin Laden has been killed. The death of the world's most wanted terrorist has security experts at all levels of government concerned that bin Laden's loyal and fanatical followers could launch a series of deadly attacks.
"We have to be particularly vigilant about danger that is still out there. This act could cause people to do things people may have planned to do if this day came," Andrew Card, former chief of staff to President George W. Bush, told ABC News.
"We remain at a heightened state of vigilance, Secretary Napolitano has been clear since announcing NTAS in January that we will only issue alerts when we have specific or credible information to convey to the American public. Our security posture, which always includes a number of measures both seen and unseen, will continue to protect the American people from an evolving threat picture both in the next days and beyond," said on Department of Homeland Security official.
Already the 145 members of the Marines' elite Chemical Biological Incident Response Force are departing Japan, where they've been supporting radiation remediation efforts in the wake of the March earthquake. The unit has been recalled to the United States, ready to respond to any potential emergency as a result of an attack. (read more)
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