Biden: No Smoking Gun On “Car Bomb” Threat
Sep 9, 2011 2 Comments ›› Pat Dollard
Vice President Biden said Friday that a car bomb might be part of the terrorist threat on the U.S. planned to coincide with the upcoming tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
“We do have talk about using a car bomb,” Biden said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
“We’ve been told that that was an intention, to get people into the United States to do that, from a credible source. But we do not have confirmation of that,” Biden said. “We don’t have the smoking gun.”
Biden appeared on several morning shows Friday reassuring Americans that the U.S. is “following every thread” to uncover the possible plan.
“We are doing everything within our power, all hands are on deck,” he said on NBC’s “Today.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement Thursday that the threat was “specific and credible, but unconfirmed.”
Counterterrorism officials are chasing a unconfirmed report that al Qaeda will use a car bomb on bridges or tunnels in New York City or Washington, according to the Associated Press.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg held a press conference in New York City Thursday night to announce that police would set up check points around the city but urged people to go about their business as usual.
Biden acknowledged Friday that, following the death of Osama bin Laden during a Navy Seal raid, intelligence services found evidence that bin Laden looked to plan an attack coinciding with the anniversary date. President Obama and at least one member of the Homeland Security committee were briefed on the threat Thursday.
“People should be alert; they should not alter what they’re doing,” Biden said on CBS’s “Early Show.”
“Be vigilant, but continue your life as normal,” he added on “Today.”
Biden will mark the anniversary by attending a ceremony at the Pentagon and attending a memorial concert at the Kennedy Center that evening.
President Obama is scheduled to mark the anniversary with stops at Ground Zero in New York City, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa. He also will deliver remarks at Sunday night’s memorial concert.
