The terrorist threat against the United States is an ”enduring vulnerability” and a ”permanent condition,” the top presidential anti-terrorism advisor said on Sunday.
One of the challenges the United States faces is ”the random, unpredictable nature of international terrorism,” homeland security chief Tom Ridge said on NBC’s ”Meet the Press.”
”We need to accept the notion this is an enduring vulnerability, this is a permanent condition,” Ridge said.
”Literally you have thousands and thousands of people located in 40 or 50 countries around the world who look at the US as the primary target.”
Concerning the al-Qaida terrorist network, blamed for the September 11 terror attacks, ”we’ve learned how sophisticated they are, how resolute they are,” Ridge said.
”Even if you get Osama bin Laden, and we will, there will be a successor,” he added.
The administration has learned a great deal about al-Qaida in the last eight months, including its interest in targeting US maritime activity.
”There is an indication they were developing an interest in the Coast Guard,” and in US ships in general, Ridge said.
Ridge added that he welcomed President George Bush’s proposal to create a new Department of Homeland Security. Many observers believe that Ridge, whom Bush tapped as homeland security advisor after the September 11 attacks, could be appointed to head the new department, a cabinet-level position.
”We need one agency whose primary mission is to help me do my job,” Ridge said.
The proposed department — the most far-ranging government restructuring since 1947 — would draw its 170 000 employees and $37-billion budget from about 100 government agencies. – Sapa-AFP