Local officials say no threats against Las Vegas seen

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2003 | 11:26 a.m.

Despite national reports citing unnamed sources saying Las Vegas could be a terrorist target, local law enforcement officials say they have received no reports of credible threats against the city.

Reports in the Los Angeles Times and on CNN have mentioned Las Vegas among several possible targets over the holidays along with New York and other cities and events.

Local law enforcement officials said that Las Vegas' designation this year as one of 48 urban areas in the country that are likely terrorist targets brings not only more federal security funding to the state, but also more rumors and speculation when the nation bumps it's alert level from yellow to orange.

"We've recognized all along that Las Vegas is a highly visible city, and that's why we've been screaming at the Department of Homeland Security to give us more funding, but there is no evidence of a threat out there right now," said Jerry Bussell, state homeland security director. "If the safety of the citizens of Las Vegas and Nevada were to be threatened, we would put that information out there.

"We have a big New Year's Eve celebration, and I think because of that the national media outlets are putting us in the category with New York and other cities this time around."

FBI Special Agent Todd Palmer, a spokesman with the Las Vegas office, echoed Bussell, saying that there are, "no specific threats against Las Vegas, and if there was any information of a specific threat it would be released to the public."

Bussell said that local and federal agencies are working together to ensure that all intelligence information is checked out.

"We've been communicating constantly, and we've got nothing at this point," said Bussell, who added that the state would not go to terror-alert level red, the highest alert level.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has mentioned Las Vegas and other cities as having large holiday celebrations. Ridge's mention of Las Vegas came on a television news program Monday, a day after officials warned that al-Qaida terrorists might be plotting attacks against the United States during the holidays.

"There are public gatherings in major urban areas around the country, big celebrations, Times Square, Las Vegas, L.A., football games, you name it," Ridge said on the program.

The FBI's local emergency operations center is staffed and will be operational 24 hours a day until the orange alert is lifted. Metro Police also is accepting tips of suspicious activity at its nonemergency number, 311.

Security was tightened at Hoover Dam, where vehicle checks were stepped up on the Nevada and Arizona sides of the dam, said Bob Walsh, spokesman for the federal Bureau of Reclamation.

Boat patrols were resumed upstream and downstream of the dam on the Colorado River, Walsh said.

Tractor-trailers, full-sized buses and large recreational vehicles continue to be banned from crossing the dam.

At McCarran International Airport additional searches of vehicles and security patrols have begun, and as many as 15 additional Metro Police officers have been assigned to the airport.

Terrorism has been linked to Las Vegas in the past, with five of the hijackers involved in the Sept. 11 attacks visiting Las Vegas during the summer of 2001. Also, alleged members of a terrorist sleeper cell who were arrested in Detroit reportedly had videotape of the MGM Grand and Disneyland.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.