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| No evidence to verify bomb threat on L.A.'s subway system, investigators conclude | |
| 2016-12-07 | |
| [LATimes] L.A. commuters encountered heightened security on Tuesday as city responded to terrorism threat Investigators have found no evidence to corroborate a warning of a terrorist plot to bomb the Universal City Metro station, defusing fears of an imminent attack in the heart of Los Angeles’ sprawling public transit system, sources said late Tuesday. Federal Sherlocks determined that the warning of a bombing called in on a tip line in Australia was not a credible threat, two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told The Times. The law enforcement sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly comment. The bomb threat had put Metro Red Line riders on high alert after law enforcement officials released information about the potential attack Monday night.
At the Universal City station, a sign warned riders they would not be allowed to use the Red Line subway system to downtown L.A. without their bags being searched. Since early Tuesday, sheriff's bomb squad teams with K-9s have combed the station and other areas of the transit systems. Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell said beyond the visible presence, undercover deputies would be on trains across the system. Speaking at Universal City Metro station, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti pledged that law enforcement was prepared and asked residents to be vigilant. "The eyes and ears of the people of Los Angeles are the most important force multiplier we have," said Garcetti, who rode for several stops on the Red Line. Uniformed deputies were not visible on a northbound Red Line train or at stops en route to Universal City, although McDonell said plainclothes officers would likely be riding trains as well. Deputies in full tactical gear, some carrying rifles and others flanked by dogs, were seen at the Universal City and North Hollywood stations. | |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #4 The authorities (FBI, LAPD, LASO) responded accordingly IMHO. The info we had was specific as to date/place/method. With a very short time frame to work with, they really had no other options. There's more to the story but hopefully this one is over. |
| Posted by: Bangkok Billy 2016-12-07 22:17 |
| #3 thanks T. My sleep infused remark targeted the manpower surge directed at control applied to the specific event triggered by a Australian tipline rather than analysis from predictive threat modeling. I can only assume some active agency was engaged by the phone call. I don't know how effective a massive preventative effort can ever be against a such fluid threat other than for remediation efforts. I don't have access to past performance data, perhaps others do. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2016-12-07 11:30 |
| #2 The threat came in Monday for Tuesday, Skidmark. Here's how An Nahar reported it earlier in the day: Security was boosted across the Los Angeles metro on Monday following a tip from overseas about a possible bomb attack against one of the stations in the network, authorities said. The threat was relayed by an anonymous man who called a public safety line run by an unidentified foreign government, which then passed on the information to an FBI terrorism task force, said Deirdre Fike, assistant director in charge of the FBI's office in Los Angeles. The target of the threatened attack was metro's Universal City station -- located near the Universal Studios theme park -- where the caller who spoke English said an explosive device would go off on Tuesday, Fike told reporters at a hastily organized press conference with local authorities. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2016-12-07 07:39 |
| #1 In full force, after the fact. Mass transit is the new air transport target? |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2016-12-07 02:27 |