'The Abrams Report' for October 6, 2005

Broadcast by MSNBC

Transcript Updated Oct . 7, 2005

Guest: Bernard Kerik, Steve Emerson, Skip Brandon, Rick Hahn, Chris Whitcomb, Solomon Wisenberg, Jim Nolan, Joe Tacopina, Susan Filan, Clint Van Zandt

DAN ABRAMS, HOST: All right, thanks Chris. Hi everyone. Straight to the breaking news —hundreds of New York police officers now on their way to Manhattan subway stations responding to a—quote—"credible security threat" to New York City's subway systems.

Government sources telling NBC News that an intelligent source warned that terrorists were planning to stage an attack on the New York subways during the second week of October, imitating the terror attacks in London and Madrid and possibly smuggling the explosives in a baby carriage. Now, what we have just learned in the last few minutes from the press conference, from the New York City mayor, the New York City police chief and a representative from the FBI, the New York City mayor saying that this is the first time that they have had this level of specificity when it comes to this kind of threat.

He described it as the first threat to the New York City subway system.  The Associated Press reporting that it was specific as to time, place, and method.  But with that said, they point out that it has not been fully corroborated, and one homeland security source telling NBC News that the source has—quote—"doubtful credibility". They say that the heightened security in New York is out of an abundance of caution.

So while we are getting this press conference, the first of its kind in New York City, other homeland security officials telling NBC News that the threat may be overstated. Remember, 4.5 million people ride the New York City subways each and every day.  New York is already on a heightened level of alert, orange.  There is only one level higher to go and that would be red.

They have declined to raise the terror threat level at this time, and again, it seems the threat was not with regard to today but possibly for next week.

Joining us now former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik. Bernie, thanks for coming on the show. We appreciate it. All right, so when Ray Kelly gets up there with Michael Bloomberg and makes this kind of announcement, this is serious stuff.

BERNARD KERIK, FMR. NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER (via phone): Well obviously it's serious stuff (INAUDIBLE) to be corroborated yet, but I don't think they have a choice. And I think they are obligated to alert the public that there could be a problem, put the public on notice, to let them know, you know, you should be looking out for things, as the mayor said, if you see something, say something.

I think they are only obligated, particularly in a post 9/11 world after what we saw in Madrid, we saw in London and the continual threats that we have against our country, I think they are obligated to make these (INAUDIBLE).

ABRAMS: You know, Commissioner Kelly has been reluctant, I would say in the past, to join in, in some of the other concerns that have come up about New York and about other places and there seems to be a reluctance on his part to say New York—New Yorkers, watch out. And yet, in this particular case, I think this is the first time that I can remember where Commissioner Kelly is standing up there and saying, look, we're not saying it's corroborated. We're not saying that it's going to happen, but we're saying it's serious.

KERIK: Dan, keep in mind Commissioner Kelly may not tell New Yorkers to watch out and look out. But the one thing that continues in New York City versus anywhere else, New York City remains at orange alert. They have done so since 9/11. So their alert level, whether you say it or not, is much higher than any other major city around the country, and I think, you know, they try to be as vigilant as possible. You know when you look at some of the security level (INAUDIBLE) the country...

ABRAMS: Yes.

KERIK: ... there is complacency setting in (INAUDIBLE) New York, so I don't think he has to say it. I think they're doing it continually.

ABRAMS: But with that said, there are hundreds of additional police officers heading to the subways today.

KERIK: There are more police officers that you will see, I would imagine in uniform, but I got to imagine Kelly has put in place a number of other things that people aren't going to see with regards to what they've heard and what could come out of this possible threat.

ABRAMS: Continuing with our breaking news coverage of what is being described as a credible but uncorroborated threat to the New York City subway system. Here was the mayor, Michael Bloomberg, speaking only minutes ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: We live in a dangerous world. We've heightened our presence. We've heightened our security level before when there have been other things. With time you do more research and more analysis of the information and gather more information, and hopefully, what we'll find is that any plans that did exist have been dissolved by the actions that have been taken by various security groups around the world and...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(...)

ABRAMS: Bernie Kerik, as a practical matter, they're talking about searching more briefcases, suitcases, baby strollers and other items asking New Yorkers if they can, not to bring items like that. We've lost Bernard Kerik; so let me ask Skip Brandon this, former FBI counterterrorism. Skip, how practical is it going to be when you're talking about 4.5 million people riding that subway every day to check a whole lot of the briefcases, suitcases, and baby strollers, et cetera?

SKIP BRANDON, FMR. FBI DEP. ASST. DIRECTOR: Well, they're not going to be able to check them all and they know they can't. They are going to be doing the random searches. They're going to be stepped up. This gives the person (INAUDIBLE) is going to bring explosives (INAUDIBLE) subway a great amount of pause because they may wind up searched. They may (INAUDIBLE) stopped. They are going to do what they can do and that's all that can be done.

ABRAMS: Why is it, Skip that we seem to be seeing what Steve described as backbiting. You've got this information, which appears to have come in on a national level, given to the New York City authorities. We have some homeland security officials, et cetera, telling NBC News doubtful credibility, and yet the New York City team getting up there and saying look, this is a credible, although, uncorroborated threat.

BRANDON: I think I have the credentials to say this because I used to be a federal government bureaucrat. It is fine time, high time for this sort of foolishness to stop. This doesn't serve anybody well to have people leaking little things out, trying to undermine everybody else. It's petty and it has to stop now.

(...)

Content and programming copyright 2005 MSNBC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Transcription Copyright 2005 Voxant, Inc.