Scares prompt heightened security at airports in U.S.

WASHINGTON – U.S. airports began tightening security Saturday in the wake of the second incident in two days in Britain, although officials said there were no plans to raise the color-coded terror threat level.

“At this point, I have seen no specific, credible information suggesting that this latest incident is connected to a threat to the homeland,” Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in a written statement. “We have no plans at this time to change the national threat level.”

Chertoff noted that U.S. airports have been under an elevated “orange” terror threat status since last fall.

Still, “in an abundance of caution during this holiday period,” Chertoff said, the agency ordered increased security measures at U.S. airports, as well as mass transit and other transportation facilities.

The moves were expected to include the posting of more Transportation Security Administration agents outside airline terminals and tightened security checks by state and local police.

“Some of these measures will be visible; others will not,” Chertoff said. “We encourage the public to go about their business and recreational plans as usual, but remain vigilant to the events happening in your environment and report any suspicious activities to authorities.”

President Bush was briefed on the developments in Britain “before, during and after” a bike ride at the Bush family summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine, according to spokesman Tony Snow.

“The most you’re going to see right now is some inconvenience, some increased inconvenience of airline passengers, more likely at large airports than small,” Snow said of the heightened security measures.

The FBI said it was monitoring the situation but referred inquiries to British investigators.

“We will continue to assess the situation, but at this time we have no intelligence that there is a credible threat in the U.S. based on these events,” spokesman Richard Kolko said. “The FBI will assist our British partners, as we have always done in the past.”