US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge on Sunday raised the national threat alert to the second-highest level, saying terrorists abroad anticipated attacks that would "rival or exceed" the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

At a hastily arranged news conference, Ridge said there had been substantial increase in the volume of intelligence reports indicating increased threat. "These credible sources suggest the possibility of attacks against the homeland around the holiday season and beyond," he said.

"The information we have indicates that extremists abroad are anticipating near-term attacks that they believe will either rival or exceed the attacks that occurred in New York and the Pentagon and the fields of Pennsylvania nearly two years ago," he added.   Ridge said reports indicated that "al-Qaida continues to consider using aircraft as a weapon." "They are evaluating procedures both here and abroad to find gaps in our security posture that can be exploited."

He said extensive protections had been or soon would be in place all across the country. "Your government will stand at the ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to stop terrorism during the holiday season and beyond."

As the holiday season is approaching, Ridge also tried to reassure Americans, urging them not to disrupt holiday travel plans. "America is a country that will not be bent by terror," he said.

The threat level was raised to Orange, which means a "high" risk of terrorist attack, from Yellow, the middle of the five-color alert scale put in place after the Sept. 11 attacks. Yellow indicates an "elevated" risk.

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2003)