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U.S. Extends State of High Alert "Indefinitely"
U.S. government has "indefinitely" extended the week-long state of high alert announced Monday, Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge said here on Friday.
"We're going to keep everybody on the Monday alert -- that attentiveness -- indefinitely," Ridge told reporters when asked if the nonspecific threat that sparked the alert was still thought to involve only this week.
He acknowledged that officials may not be able to identify and detain all terrorists here and abroad. "The world has changed since September 11," he said.
While urging Americans to "be alert," Ridge asked them to "go about the business of being in America."
As part of the effort to track down terrorists, Ridge said he is working to help government agencies consolidate their
intelligence databases.
Information from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the State Department and the FBI is being collected and will be housed in the office of the attorney general, he said.
Immigration policies are being strengthened, restrictions on student visas are being tightened, and federal officials are working with their Canadian and Mexican counterparts "to improve border security, facilitate commerce, bring greater harmony to immigration and customs policies," Ridge said.
The former Pennsylvania governor said he meets regularly with his Homeland Security Council and Democratic and Republican policy leaders to discuss measures taken to counter terrorism.
Ridge told reporters that a group from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working regularly with postal officials to help detect anthrax and decontaminate anthrax-tainted facilities.
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