NYPD to increase patrols for Passover
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly (R) speaks with religious leaders from the area Jewish community during the NYPD's annual pre-Passover breakfast and briefing held at Police Headquarters in New York City. The event, which drew over 300 religious leaders, provided attendees with a summary of the NYPD's crime-fighting and counter-terrorism programs. Police also discussed security preparations they will take in and around New York's synagogues and in Jewish neighborhoods for Passover which will begins on April 6. (April 3, 2012) Credit: Getty Images
The recent shootings in Toulouse, France, and a new, ominous Internet posting on an al-Qaida-linked website were backdrops for an NYPD security briefing Tuesday where officials unveiled security preparations for the upcoming Passover holiday.
Top officials, including NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, said heavily armed police "Hercules" teams will patrol outside Jewish synagogues, neighborhoods and other sensitive locations in time for Passover, an eight-day holiday period that begins at sundown Friday.
Similar armed units are posted outside Muslim houses of worship and communities during the festival of Ramadan, police noted.
The annual Passover briefing at police headquarters included details of the fatal shooting spree in France by lone gunman Mohamed Merah, who was killed by police after a standoff at his apartment two weeks ago.
Kelly said an NYPD liaison in Paris traveled to Toulouse and learned that Merah had intended to strike a different target than the school he finally attacked.
"While we know of no similar threat to the city at this time, such attacks are certainly not outside the realm of possibility," said Kelly, adding that lone wolf operatives like Merah are extremely difficult to detect.
"That's why it is essential that the police department continue to invest resources in gathering intelligence, which is the only effective way to stop this kind of plot," Kelly said.
On Monday, police disclosed that a website with links to al-Qaida had published an ominous color graphic depicting the skyline of Manhattan and the words "Al Qaeda Coming Soon Again in New York." Police said the image appeared in connection with a Web forum that al-Qaida operatives and jihadist sympathizers follow and often use to communicate. In the past, the site has published bomb-making formulas, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said.
Police intelligence analysts classified the website as "Category 1," meaning it is heavily used by jihadist and al-Qaida adherents, Browne said. Police believe the creator is using software known as Cinema 4, which costs about $1,600, an indication that the user has financial backing.
Despite the flurry of publicity about the website message, police do not believe there is any specific threat to the city and apart from the Passover holiday preparations they aren't taking any additional security measures.
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