This past Thursday, February 28, the Bush Administration announced that it was officially lowering the nation’s alert status from “Orange Alert,” high risk status, to “Yellow Alert,” elevated alert status. This does not, in any way, suggest that there is a greatly lowered risk of terrorist attack as there are still a large amount of threats and intelligence which suggest terrorist attack. However, there is a somewhat of a reduced element to the situation. Yellow Alert is the third highest level of alert on the five level alert system. A Yellow Alert is used to signify that there is a noteworthy risk of terrorist attack. It should also be noted that the Orange Alert is one level above this noteworthy risk, and is the highest level of risk ever reached since the implementation of the system in March 2002.
United States Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge stated that “The conclusion of the Muslim hajj holiday period played a role in the decision to lower the threat level from orange.” The hajj lasted from mid-February until the last day of February.
One senior FBI agent, however seemed to have a much less grim view of the situation, stating “despite the uncertainties in trusting terrorism-related intelligence, the administration prefers to err on the side of caution.”
Ashcroft and Ridge cautioned that “Detained Al-Qaida operatives have informed U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials that Al-Qaida will wait until it believes Americans are less vigilant and less prepared before it will strike again.” This statement is meant to generally caution the American public not to become complacent of the situation with the lowered alert status.
During the time of this Orange Alert, American citizens stocked up on such items as plastic sheeting and duct tape to help guard themselves and their families from biological and chemical weapons as had been threatened by Al-Qaida agents. As was recommended by the Department of Homeland Security, many Americans stocked up on other items as well, including water, food and other materials.
The announcement of the end of the Orange Alert status will bring an end to the nervous period in which they may have felt frightened for their safety and the safety of their kin.