Golden Gate terror fear heightens security

Police in California have doubled security near the Golden Gate Bridge after Spanish police seized videos of it from suspected al-Qaida terrorists.

They have also set up security cordons at Disneyland and Universal Studios.

California Highway Patrol officers fanned out to talk to local police and beefed up security soon after the arrests became public.

George Vinson, the security adviser for Governor Gray Davis, said: "We're just taking it very significantly because of where it comes from."

Investigators have previously found similar video tapes, maps and pictures - although not of California sites - Mr Vinson said.

He added: "We've been through this drill a number of times. Just possessing that stuff isn't against the law, and without something further from interviews or whatever, it's difficult to tell if they were planning an attack."

The three men arrested in Spain were Syrian and two also had Spanish nationality.

One suspect, Ghasoub Al-Abrash Ghalyoun, was arrested in April but released.

Videos seized from him then were shot during a US trip in 1997 and included images of the World Trade Centre, the Statue of Liberty, Chicago's Sears Tower and the California locations.

Spanish officials say the suspension pillar of the Golden Gate Bridge "is given substantial attention".