Prior to departing for a two-week vacation in Hawaii, President Obama was briefed by U.S. intelligence officials about three American cities facing serious terrorist threats on New Year’s Eve.
Although the threats from overseas are aimed at “soft targets,” security in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. will be significantly enhanced, say law enforcement officials.
The FBI will implement 24-hour command centers in all three cities and boost the number of agents working in uniform and undercover.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the Big Apple will have 6,000 police officers on duty in that part of midtown Manhattan, as well as law enforcement officials patrolling from the air and water. The ball drop in Times Square is expected to draw one million attendees Thursday night.
“We are ready,” de Blasio said in a press conference, calling New York “the best prepared city in the country to prevent terrorism and to deal with any event should it occur.”
A number of cities in Belgium, Turkey and Bangladesh have also received threats.
Leaders in Brussels announced Wednesday the firework festivities for New Year’s Eve would be suspended in response to the threats.
