The new terrorism warning system uses color codes to indicate different threat levels. The system was initially proposed on March 12, 2002 in conjunction with a 45-day comment period in order to seek the views of anyone interested in the creation of the system. The public comment period is coming to a close.

Learn how the system has developed since its inception and how you can make any last-minute comments. Join Program Manager Kevin P. Giblin on Thursday, April 25 at 1 p.m. to discuss the system and what it means for our daily lives.

Submit your questions and comments before or during today's discussion.

NOTE: Per the FBI's request, please DO NOT use this forum to post crime leads or solicitations to investigate matters. If you have an emergency, please contact the nearest FBI office or, if outside the United States, contact the nearest Legal Attachι office.

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Kevin P. Giblin: Thanks for joining me today to chat about FBI Terrorism warnings and our support to the Office of Homeland Security's new Advisory System.

Baltimore County, Md.: Code Red is the highest threat alert. When you take control of transportation does that mean civilians walk, ride bikes, or can not drive their personnel vehicles?

Kevin P. Giblin: As you note, condition Red is the highest level within the system and indicative of a severe risk of terrorist attacks.
Guidance on all of our activities, including transportation, would come from our state and local governments based on the appropriate protective measures. Specific guidance would depend on the specific nature of the threat.

Corona, Calif.: Shouldn't there be only ONE color code for terrorism? Terrorism is a threat, bottom line. There should not be any levels of this.

Kevin P. Giblin: The logic of the Homeland Security Advisory System is based on the range of potential terrorist threats and the parallel range of appropriate protective measures. Each threat condition, once evaluated by the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Homeland Security, is based on a scale of increasing risk of terrorist attacks. This allows the Federal and State governments to gauge the current threat and provide a response commensurate with that threat.

Virginia: Is the system by state and state or just nationwide?

Kevin P. Giblin: The system is a national system designed to protect the integrity of our national security. However, the system is flexible and has the ability to assign threat conditions which can apply nationally, regionally, by sector, or to a potential target.

Baltimore County, Md.: The HSAS is an information-based system. As such, isn't it necessary for the state and local generated formats to correspond with the national one?

Kevin P. Giblin: Another design of the HSAS is to provide a national framework for the state and local systems that you have noted. This will allow government officials and citizens to communicate the nature and degree of current terrorist threats. Tomorrow, April 26, concludes the public comment period of review of the system. A similar review by federal, state, and local agencies is also taking place. Part of this review will be a process that ensures their systems will align with the national system. The goal is to facilitate a seamless transmission of threat conditions and protective measures.

Niagara Falls, N.Y.: Threat level poster? Can I order a few for my company?

Kevin P. Giblin: You can access and print the Threat Conditions and the Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 3 at www.homelandsecurity.gov.

Arlington, Va.: How does the FBI intend to prevent the new alert system from being abused by terrorists who simply make threats in order for them to be reported through the system and scare the American public? Also, if the new alert system is overused, do you think that the American public will stop listening to the warnings?

Kevin P. Giblin: A key part of the analysis of a threat condition is the threat assessment process. The system reviews a variety of factors to assess the threat. These include: Is the threat credible? Is the threat corroborated? Is the threat specific and/or imminent? How grave is the threat?
These factors and others will be addressed before the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Homeland Security assigns a threat condition.

New York, N.Y.: Say you have a situation like in NY today. A boiler explodes in a building but there is always the chance of a terrorist attack. After the boiler explodes does the FBI talk with Homeland about possible threat increases?

Kevin P. Giblin: The day-to-day work of the FBI and state and local law enforcement includes evaluations and judgments of information and possible crimes as they develop. This is a standard protocal and serves us well. We are in daily contact with the Office of Homeland Security in the evaluation of any and all threats.

Nicholasville, Ky.: Why the different colors for the warning sysytem and not just one? How does the system work?

Kevin P. Giblin: We touched a little on this previously...additional details on the range of the threat conditions are on the site: www.homelandsecurity.gov.

Washington, D.C.: So have you already adopted suggestions from the public, or do you have to wait until the 45-days are up before implementing any of them?
Thanks.

Kevin P. Giblin: In addition to the public review, the federal, state, and local agencies are also contributing comments and suggestions.
It was decided that 135 days after from the March 12th Directive, the Attorney General, after consultation and coordination with the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and having considered the views received during the comment period, shall recommend to the President in writing proposed refinements to the Homeland Security Advisory System.

Arlington, Va.: Good afternoon,

Will the Attorney General announce the closure of the comment period?

Kevin P. Giblin: The public comment period concludes tomorrow, April 26, according to the Homeland Security Presidential Directive-3.

Jakarta, Indonesia: I would like to know if this new terrorism warning system will also be used in other places outside America? Or is it only programmed to warn of terrorist attacks in the U.S.?

Kevin P. Giblin: The new Homeland Security Advisory System is designed for use domestically in the United States.

Philadelphia, Pa.: With the latest FBI warning centered around shopping malls and supermarkets are we in a color code designation or has that not started yet?

Kevin P. Giblin: We remain at the elevated (yellow) threat level, which indicates that there is a significant risk of terrorist attacks. We have been at the elevated level since the system was established on March 12.

Tampa, Fla.: Comment: I think the color system will be too hard for people to remember. It should be numbers 1 through 5 or if they are going to use colors should only use three (like the traffic lights). Green for OK, yellow for caution, red for high alert.

Kevin P. Giblin: Part of our process will be developing an awareness by those of us in government, at federal and state levels, as well as our citizens, to this new protocol for evaluating and responding to potential terrorist threats.

Albany, N.Y.: Why not use the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS) to disseminate homeland security advisories? This national network interconnects virtually every law enforcement agency in the USA for the purpose of accessing state files (DMV, criminal history) as well as exchanging BOLOs, APBs, etc. Agencies that have access to NLETS are in an "always listening" state, i.e., they constantly monitor incoming messages from other agencies around the country (and Canada).

Kevin P. Giblin: We do, in fact, make extensive use of the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS) to disseminate warnings and advisories. Due to the size of the country and the benefit to have some redundancy in transmitting critical warnings, we use additional dissemination systems such as Law Enforcement Online, among others.

Boston, Mass.: Is it possible for one state to have a different level of warning? For example can we be at a yellow while maybe California red? In a previous answer you kind of hinted that this can be the case.

Thank you

Kevin P. Giblin: Yes, the system has the ability to apply a threat condition to an individual state, a group of states in a region, or a sector (such as the transportation infrastructure, for example). This allows us to more effectively provide threat information to the people that need it, when they need it.

Franklin, Mass.: When would the color level be elevated or lowered?

Kevin P. Giblin: According to the HSAS, a threat condition will be elevated or lowered based on a coordinated threat assessment process. The Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Homeland Security would ultimately make the decision to change the threat condition, based on the results of these ongoing threat assessments.

Kevin P. Giblin: It was a privilege today for me to answer questions about our country's counterterrorism prevention efforts and the important role of the public. I thank you for your excellent questions on this topic.

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