Alert leaves America on edge

Associated Press

In Pennsylvania, a courthouse worker made a wish for his office to be spared from a terrorist attack. In Virginia, an anxious mother kept her two small children away from the mall.

Try as they might to take the latest national terrorism alert in stride, many Americans were on edge Tuesday.

U.S. authorities suspect Osama bin Laden’s inner circle may have issued new orders for attacks on Americans and are concerned the terrorists might strike even if they are cut off from their central command in Afghanistan, officials said Tuesday.

The terrorist alert issued Monday was based on intelligence involving Afghanistan and known al-Qaida supporters elsewhere in the world, including Canada, said the officials, who described the information on condition of anonymity. They declined to be more specific.

Even Americans determined to press ahead with flights or other plans spoke more often with resignation than bravado.

"We decided we have to live our lives," said Nancy Thickel of Oakwood, Ohio, who refused to cancel a trip to New York City with her husband and two teen-age daughters this weekend.

"We’re going to be very alert as to what goes on around us and try to enjoy ourselves as much as we can," said Thickel, who works at a Dayton hospital. "I keep telling myself I would like life to get back to normal — but I don’t think that’s going to happen."

In New York, attorney Michael Tremonte said many of his friends were contemplating a move to the suburbs. "In most people’s minds, the city has kind of a giant bull’s-eye painted on it," he said.

In Everett on Tuesday morning, there was no panic, but a little caution was exercised when someone spotted what looked like white powder in an elevator at the Wall Street Building, the structure that houses Everett’s city administrative offices.

Access was detoured to a stairwell for a time while police and fire officials cordoned off the area and cleaned up the substance. Fire officials found a small chunk of wallboard and learned that construction was under way on an upper floor.

The white substance was wallboard dust, police Capt. Mike Campbell said. "If we err, we err on the side of caution," he added.

Near the courthouse where he works in Pittsburgh, 24-year-old Brian Kostrub threw coins into a fountain and made a wish.

"Hopefully, I’m alive when I get home from work today," Kostrub said. "My life has changed. I go to work every day wondering about a bomb or anthrax."

On his monthly radio show, Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore urged a woman named Renee not to withdraw her son from a school field trip to Washington, D.C., saying the risk to the boy was minimal.

"But there will be some attack at some point, no doubt again, and somebody will be hurt," Gilmore said. "Americans are going to have to realize that they’re living in a different situation."

The terrorism alert left disabled veteran Ralph McCall, in North Miami, Fla., too scared to leave his apartment.

"It’s got me all paranoid," said McCall, 49. "My neighbors say it doesn’t happen to people like me or you. I say you never know where it might strike.

"I don’t smoke cigarettes, but I’m thinking of starting again."

Some people were frustrated by the vague alert — the second of its kind in three weeks.

"Should I be watching people on the subway? Looking at everyone who carries a large bag?" asked Tim Davis, 44, who works for Cisco Systems in Pittsburgh. "It would drive you nuts at the end of the day."

"They are just scaring people for no reason," agreed Tresa Dyer, a baker in Salt Lake City. "We’re already on alert 24/7, and this keeps people constantly on edge."

A new CBS-New York Times poll suggested that 53 percent of Americans now think another terrorism attack is likely, up from one-third a month ago. The pessimists include Jimmy Tucker of Dallas.

"I’d be surprised if it didn’t happen," Tucker said while shopping for computer equipment. "And I don’t think it’s going to be in the Northeast, that’s too obvious, so it could well be in Dallas."

Outside the main post office in Kansas City, Mo., Julie Alder has been keeping an eye on strangers while selling sandwiches from a mobile cart.

"It’s really struck every heart in America, definitely," she said. "I’ve seen firefighters come to my cart and express their own fears, which is scary in itself — that’s like watching your dad cry."

Along with anxiety, there were flashes of feistiness.

"I’m not changing my life for these nitwits," said Jon Thorpe, 58, who works at a drug trafficking surveillance center in Seattle.

But the fact that the alert period includes Halloween caused extra anxiety for some.

Angela Seabrook, a software designer for Lockheed Martin in Manassas, Va., said she wouldn’t take her children, ages 2 and 4, to the Potomac Mills shopping mall for Halloween.

"If there is even a slight risk of something happening, then why take it?" she said. "Stay home, carve a pumpkin, bake cookies — anything."

Herald writer Jim Haley contributed to this report.