Boston could be terrorist target

By Jay Lindsay

Associated Press

BOSTON – Attorney General John Ashcroft warned the governor and the mayor that terrorist strikes could be attempted in Boston in the coming days, though he stressed that no specific threats had been made.

Mayor Thomas Menino on Friday urged residents to go about their business as usual. Public safety officials found no basis for the threat, he said.

Menino refused to specify what he and Ashcroft discussed.

Boston FBI spokeswoman Gail Marcinkiewicz said the FBI has investigated and discredited the threats. She would not comment on why Ashcroft warned local officials.

“The information upon which these reports are based have been analyzed and evaluated, and the threats do not appear to be credible,” Marcinkiewicz said.

Acting Gov. Jane Swift refused to comment on her discussion with Ashcroft or any specific security precautions.

“We are dealing with a lot of innuendo and rumor,” said Police Chief Paul Evans, who appeared at a news conference with the mayor and state Attorney General Thomas Reilly to instill confidence in the city.

“This department is prepared to respond … to do whatever we have to do to protect his city,” Evans said.

Reilly said people should continue with plans to go to restaurants or plays or other activities. “This is the time to stand up to fear,” he said. “Now is the time to visit the city and go wherever you want to go.”

Authorities have said that Sept. 22 – Saturday – emerged as an important date in evidence found during investigations into the hijackers. They say intelligence intercepts, witness interviews and evidence gathered in hijackers’ cars and homes indicated a second wave of violence was planned.

Authorities have evidence that at least four people targeted by the terror investigation were booked on flights Saturday leaving San Antonio for California or Denver.

Security in Boston and other cities has been increased since the Sept. 11 terror attacks in New York and Washington. A few days after four airliners were hijacked and crashed, the FBI warned Atlanta, Richmond, Va., and Boston about possible strikes. But those warnings were rescinded.

On Thursday, the FBI issued new warnings to local law enforcement to be on guard for attacks. Authorities said the warning was not based on any evidence of a direct threat but rather on raw information.