Local security briefs

Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2001 | 10:08 a.m.

Meeting with Nevadans cut short

A 7:30 a.m. meeting Tuesday between Israeli diplomat Daniel Taub and about 25 Nevada judges and attorneys was cut short by a phone call from the Israeli consulate on the heels of the terrorist acts.

The meeting was part of a 23-city tour by Israeli diplomats, who are briefing American leaders about the Middle East conflict and the peace process.

Taub, who is both a lawyer and an expert in counterterrorism, had just expressed condolences to the American public when the call from the consulate was received, said Leonard Stone of the Jewish Federation.

The Israeli consulate issued instructions to make no further comments for now on the terrorist acts. Taub left shortly thereafter for Los Angeles.

Stratosphere, Eiffel are shut down

The Stratosphere and the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas were closed Tuesday amid heightened security measures at Las Vegas hotels. The Bank of America towers and the Wells Fargo Bank Tower also closed.

At the Paris, officials said the closure of the Eiffel Tower was simply part of increased security to make guests feel safe.

"It's the first thing we do, to shut that down," said Andy Maiden, a Paris spokesman. He added that the hotel also increased the number of security officers and limited valet parking to registered hotel guests.

At Regency Towers, a misunderstanding resulted in about 30 people being evacuated from their luxury apartments to the lobby Tuesday morning.

Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said a communications problem between a Clark County fire inspector, security officers and building management resulted in an unauthorized voluntary evacuation of residents from the Regency's 11th floor up to the penthouses.

Minister's sister has a close call

Tuesday's attack on the World Trade Center had the Rev. Marion Bennett of Zion Methodist Church fearing for his sister's life.

But Joan Bennett survived because she had not arrived at her office in one of the two 110-story towers that collapsed after the attack.

"My sister's still alive," Bennett said Tuesday afternoon after he had spent several hours worrying about her whereabouts. "That was a real scare for me."

Joan Bennett, an attorney with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was also in her World Trade Center office on Feb. 26, 1993, when bombs exploded in a parking garage beneath the center.

Routes near Nellis altered

Two Citizens Area Transit bus routes have been diverted due to closures of certain facilities resulting from Tuesday's terrorist attacks.

Routes 113 and 403 near Nellis Air Force Base are being diverted on the sections of their routes near the base.

Route 113 is operating north on Las Vegas Boulevard as far as Lamb Boulevard, turning north on Lamb Boulevard to Lone Mountain Road, south on Mitchell Street, east on Craig Road, south on Lamb Boulevard and then south on Las Vegas Boulevard to complete the southern portion of the route.

Route 403 is running east on Craig Road as far as Lamb Boulevard, turning north on Lamb Boulevard to Lone Mountain Road, south on Mitchell Street and then west on Craig Road.

Nuke team ready for action

Federal officials have activated the Nuclear Emergency Support Team, an elite group of nuclear scientists based at Nellis Air Force Base and Washington.

The scientists, who work undercover, are on standby to track terrorist-built nuclear weapons, Department of Energy spokeswoman Nancy Harkess said.

The names of the scientists are classified and their assignment is secret, but experts from at least 18 academic fields can be deployed within two hours to any domestic or international nuclear terrorist target. They are trained and equipped to locate and disarm makeshift nuclear bombs and radioactive material.