US lowers terror alert as ‘urgent threat’ passes

THE Bush administration lowered the national terror alert level yesterday as Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said an urgent threat had passed.

"I know we are all thankful that nothing happened," said Ridge.

However, airports and airlines will keep their high alert status.

During heightened alerts, airports are asked to restrict parking near terminals if necessary, increase law enforcement patrols of terminals and perimeters and conduct random checks of vehicles on airport roadways.

Certain locations, and sectors of the economy, will keep their security posture as though the threat level had not gone down, Mr Ridge said, although he offered no specifics.

The alert level went from orange, signifying a high threat of terrorist attacks, to yellow, signifying an "elevated" threat.

The conclusion of the holidays and the large gatherings that go with them, played a role in the decision to lower the threat level, Mr Ridge said.

"Although we've returned to yellow, we have not let our guard down," he said.

The level was raised to orange, or the second-highest level, on December 21. That marked the fifth time the national alert level was raised to orange since the system was announced in March 2002. It has never dipped below yellow.

During the orange alert period, US officials said they were focused on possible threats to the aviation system, particularly the threat of overseas flights being hijacked and used in September 11-style attacks on American targets.