U.S. Prohibited Aircrafts from Flying Nearby Nuclear Plants

Tom Ridge, U.S. Homeland Security Chief, revealed yesterday that the U.S. is put on a high alert against terror by the information that the terrorist groups of Osama bin Laden are planning new terrors.

Mr. Ridge held a press conference at the White House and remarked, ``the information about new terror is based on the information about the supporters of Al Qaeda, the terrorist group of Osama bin Laden spread in the world including Afghanistan and Canada. If not, we are not going to call a high alert.``

Mr. Ridge also requested the security authorities in the nation to strengthen their watch over energy plants such as nuclear plants and dams and large shopping malls. Therefore, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibited all aircrafts from approaching nuclear facilities in the nation.

ABC reported that the reason why the U.S. called a high alert against terror is because the U.S. intelligence agencies detected a cryptographic communication between the terrorist groups in Afghanistan about ``big things are going to happen.``

ABC also reported, ``The intelligence agencies judged that the information is not to disturb the U.S. and 72 hours from now is crucial.``

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell accepted at the interview with AFP that the war on terrorism has come to a deadlock and asked for patience of the people. Mr. Powell said, ``Anything may come to a deadlock. The important thing is to be patient, go for the goal, and win the victory.``

eligius@donga.com