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NEW YORK, Oct 7 (AFP): New York's subways were under increased security Friday after receiving what local officials described as the most specific threat to date of a terrorist attack in the coming days.
"This is the first time that we have had a threat with this level of specificity," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Thursday. "It was more specific as to target, it was more specific as to timing."
Although the intelligence behind the alert had yet to be corroborated, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said it had been deemed of "sufficient concern" to enhance counter-terrorism operations on the subway network, as well as buses and ferries.
Officials refused to provide details of the precise nature of the threat, although Kelly said an existing policy of random searches on the subway would be intensified, with a particular emphasis on baggage and baby strollers.
Despite the increased security, subways were running as normal and New York City remained on the second highest alert level, where it has been since the September 11, 2001, attacks.
US media quoted Department of Homeland Security officials as saying they doubted the credibility of the threat.
"The intelligence community has concluded that this information is of doubtful credibility," the department said in a statement.
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