Arlington, Feds Working Closely on 'Credible' Terror Threat

The Arlington County Police Department is working with federal law enforcement in the wake of a "credible" terror threat looming against New York City or Washington, D.C., on or near the Sunday anniversary of 9/11.

"We adjusted our staffing levels earlier this week in anticipation of the 9/11 anniversary, so you may see additional officers around Arlington County," Chief Douglas Scott said in a statement.

"Our police officers are aware of the recent information regarding a 'credible' threat, and the department is in close contact with federal law enforcement for updates. The Arlington County Police Department is committed to the safety of our community and encourages the public to report any activity that they find suspicious to our emergency operators."

Increased police patrols and tactical officers in Arlington are standard for 9/11 events, though that's been even more the case this year because of the significance of the anniversary, said Detective Crystal Nosal, a spokeswoman for the department.

Scott's statement is, in part, designed to make people more aware of that increased presence, she said.

Area police chiefs met with the FBI this morning, Nosal said, but had no information beyond that.

All police chiefs in Washington and Northern Virginia were invited to the meeting, along with representatives of the 34 federal, state and local partner agencies under the Joint Terrorism Task Force, said Lindsay Godwin, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Washington field office. That office has jurisdiction over Northern Virginia, including Arlington. It wasn't immediately clear how many attended the meeting.

On what the FBI is doing in response to the threat, Godwin declined to comment beyond the statement that's been released by the Department of Homeland Security.

That statement:

"As we know from the intelligence gathered from the Osama bin Laden raid, al-Qaida has shown an interest in important dates and anniversaries, such as 9/11. In this instance, it’s accurate that there is specific, credible but unconfirmed threat information. As we always do before important dates like the anniversary of 9/11, we will undoubtedly get more reporting in the coming days. Sometimes this reporting is credible and warrants intense focus, other times it lacks credibility and is highly unlikely to be reflective of real plots underway.

"Regardless, we take all threat reporting seriously, and we have taken, and will continue to take all steps necessary to mitigate any threats that arise. We continue to ask the American people to remain vigilant as we head into the weekend."

District Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier has said there will be increased security this weekend in Washington, and that people should expect more stopped vehicles, according to the Washington Post.

Arlington County has numerous events planned this weekend to honor the victims of the attacks and the first responders who were called to the devastating scenes on 9/11. Ten years ago, 184 people died in the attack on the Pentagon.

All non-emergency Arlington personnel are operating on a normal schedule, county spokeswoman Mary Curtis stated in an email.

"We are 'leaning forward,' " she stated. "We have representation on the region's Joint Terrorism Task Force and we are kept abreast of intel and coordinate with others in the region."

She added: "We have assets that are ready to be deployed. We take an 'all-hazards' approach to preparedness and emergency management, so we try to be prepared for any eventuality."

The Joint Terrorism Task Force responds to all terrorism leads, develops and investigates cases, and provide support for special events, Godwin stated in an email.

Of the 34 agencies involved, more than 100 task force officers are co-located at the FBI's Washington field office and sit next to FBI special agents every day, she stated.