IRAQ CRISIS/US: Anti-aircraft missiles and radar units were deployed around Washington yesterday, and combat air patrols increased over the US capital, in the wake of a chilling warning from CIA director Mr George Tenet that al-Qaeda attacks could occur in the United States as early as this week, writes Conor O'Clery, North America Editor, in New York
The sight of portable stinger missile launchers in open ground and armed National Guard soldiers on city streets has considerably raised tensions in the US, where people are already bracing for war with Iraq.
With al-Qaeda threatening martyrdom attacks against Americans, many city residents are avoiding metros and cinemas, and have heeded government advice on how to prepare for terror attacks.
Residents have been stocking up on water, radios, batteries and cash to prepare a "disaster supply kit" recommended by the government, and stores in Washington and New York report a surge in sales of plastic sheeting and duct tape to cover windows in the event of a chemical or biological attack.
The government has also stepped up security at airports, bridges, tunnels, dams, ports and border crossings and has warned 66 leading chief executive officers to increase security at their companies' buildings.
Mr Tenet told a Congressional committee yesterday that he was worried that the new tape recording attributed to Osama bin Laden contained a message alerting al-Qaeda cells in the United States and Saudi Arabia.
The CIA director used the tape, played on the Al Jazeera satellite television channel, to boost domestic support for war against Iraq, claiming that bin Laden's call to Iraqis to resist an American invasion was proof that Iraq and the al-Qaeda network were acting together.
The US blames bin Laden for the suicide attacks that killed 3,000 people in the US on September 11th, 2001, and says Iraq must be disarmed so that Baghdad cannot provide terrorists with biological, chemical or nuclear weapons. The bin Laden tape denounced Saddam as an infidel, while noting that the interests of Muslims coincided with those of Baghdad's government in "the war against the crusaders".
The link made by Mr Tenet and other US officials was challenged by German government spokesman, Mr Thomas Steg, who said: "From what is known so far we don't think we can conclude that there is evidence of an axis or close link between the regime in Baghdad and al-Qaeda."
Mr Tenet told Congress members: "If given the choice, al-Qaeda terrorists will choose attacks that achieve multiple objectives, striking prominent landmarks, inflicting mass casualties, causing economic disruption and rallying support through shows of strength." The bottom line here was "that al-Qaeda is living in the expectation of resuming the offensive", he said.
The White House raised the national threat level from yellow to orange on Friday, indicating a "high" risk of terrorist attack. This was because of increased "chatter" intercepted by intelligence agencies, Mr Tenet said.
"The intelligence is not idle chatter on the part of terrorists or their associates. The information we have points to plots aimed at targets on two fronts - in the United States and on the Arabian Peninsula." These plots could include the use of a radiological dispersal device as well as poisons and chemicals, he claimed.
"The enemies we face are resourceful, merciless and fanatically committed to inflicting massive damage on our homeland, which they regard as a bastion of evil," Mr Mueller said.