Bush scales back threat alert

[wovenwonder]

From CNN.com -

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush approved Tuesday lowering the government's assessment of terrorist threats down to "elevated" from "high," ending two weeks of a higher alert.

The decision means the country's color-coded alert status will drop from orange back to yellow, the midpoint of the scale.

Bush signed off on a recommendation to go to yellow alert status after receiving his morning intelligence briefing, administration officials say. A statement from the Justice Department was to be released later Tuesday, administration officials tell CNN.


Administration sources said the decision was based on a reduction in so-called intelligence "chatter" about possible threats of domestic terrorism. But they stressed that even at yellow alert, the government believes there is an elevated or significant risk of terrorist attack.

Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge held a news conference when the threat level was raised earlier this month. But two senior administration officials said a written statement was being prepared to announce the decision to fall back from orange to yellow.

 

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[helenabear]

Thanks for the FYI Jody