Pentagon raises alert level ahead of 9/11 anniversary

The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that it was raising force-protection levels for military installations in the United States ahead of the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

“This is not in response to any specific or credible threat surrounding the 10th anniversary of 9/11,” Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters, according to a Pentagon press release, “but we believe it is prudent and precautionary to take such a step.”

It’s no secret that al-Qaida has focused on holidays and milestone events in the past, Little added, noting that the 10th anniversary of 9/11 was mentioned in documents seized at the Abbottabad compound in Pakistan where Osama bin Laden was killed in May.

The Defense Department does not discuss specific force-protection levels, but the level will be raised at facilities throughout the United States, including the Pentagon itself.

"[The raised force protection level] is a reflection of al Qaida’s continued interest in milestone and anniversary events, and is prudent," Little said.

At a Politico event on Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano spoke about security preparations for the anniversary.

“Many, many things have already been put in place not because there’s a specific, credible threat but we want Sunday to be a day of commemoration and remembrances and we want it to be safe,” she said. “Not just DHS — a lot of other agencies in the federal government state and local governments are really leaning forward to make sure we’re as safe and secure and we can be.”

The New York Police Department announced on Wednesday that it will be deploying thousands of extra police officers on Sunday, despite having no specific terrorist threat. From the Associated Press:

The NYPD plans to form a zone around the World Trade Center for a Sunday observance that President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush plan to attend. Along with extra officers – the department won't reveal an exact number – the security also will include hundreds of surveillance cameras trained on the site, Kelly said.