Terror Alert Lowered To "Yellow"

The possibility that terrorists will attack the US has now diminished to the point where the Department of Homeland Security has lowered the terror threat assessment level a notch -- down from Orange to Yellow.

Ironically, the move came on the very day when two commercial passenger aircraft were targeted by bomb threats.

Southwest Airlines Flight 1003 enroute from Midway/Chicago (IL) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International (AZ). Police said they got an anonymous call saying there was a bomb on board the aircraft. It left Chicago at 3:00 pm. It turned around and headed back to the Windy City at 3:45 (right).

"The threat was specific enough in nature that the decision was made to bring the plane back to Chicago," said Southwest spokesman Ed Stewart in an interview with WMAQ Television.

Also on Friday, a United Express flight from Omaha (NE) to O'Hare was grounded after a flight attendant found a lump of what looked like putty with wires sticking out of it.

That aircraft was searched by both the FBI and the TSA. Agents decided the wired putty posed no threat. But in the meantime, at least one flight was cancelled and two others delayed.

"We are still concerned about continued threats, but the threat conditions that we've been following have diminished," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said in announcing the lowered threat level.

Still, airports and other critical infrastructure elements would be allowed to decide for themselves how much they would lower their own security precautions.

"Every airport makes its own judgment," said David Plavin, president of the Airports Council International-North America. If they choose to tighten security, he said, "they're probably not going to tell you."

But AOPA Sez...

AOPA contacted homeland security officials and learned that they are still assessing necessary security levels for all transportation modes. The alert status remains "high" for airports, airlines and some cities. DHS is currently evaluating each individual TFR imposed during code orange.

There may be decisions late Friday or over the weekend on the Chicago and Valdez (Alaska) TFRs, and Washington ADIZ procedures. 

FMI: www.dhs.gov