Powell Urges Vigilance on Fourth of July

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, July 01, 2002

Powell Urges Vigilance on Fourth of July

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U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Sunday Americans should be vigilant for possible attacks around the Fourth of July holiday but that people should still try to enjoy Independence Day celebrations.

``There's been a variety of reports coming in, intelligence reports that suggest we ought to be especially vigilant as we go into the Fourth of July season,'' Powell said on CBS's ``Face the Nation'' program.

Powell said administration officials and law enforcement officials would work in the coming days to assess intelligence information about possible attacks around one of the country's most popular holidays.

But despite the need for vigilance, Powell said, ``I hope most Americans will go about their business and enjoy the Fourth of July. I intend to.''

Sunday's New York Times reported that the FBI has issued a warning to state and local law enforcement agencies to be on alert for July 4. But the FBI chose not to make its warning public since it was vague and the agency fears Americans might be suffering from ``threat fatigue'' after a series of nonspecific warnings in past months.

``The FBI possesses no information indicating a specific and credible terrorist threat related to the July 4 Independence Day time frame,'' the newspaper said the agency wrote in a message relayed on Wednesday.

``However, the political and cultural significance of this date warrants increased vigilance.

The Fourth of July is one of the biggest holidays of the year for most Americans with countless people gathering for barbecues and fireworks displays in parks around the country, including on Washington's National Mall.

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