'Chatter' led to increase in threat level

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The nation was put on high alert after officials intercepted phone calls and e-mail between al Qaeda and associates along with newly evaluated intelligence from sources suggesting multiple attacks are imminent, federal law-enforcement officials said yesterday.

Los Angeles and San Francisco are mentioned as potential targets, along with Washington and New York, authorities said. General targets include bridges, tunnels, nuclear power plants and dams.

The communication intercepts originated in several foreign countries and suggest that al Qaeda is seeking to repeat the attacks of September 11, using passenger or cargo jets hijacked from foreign airports to strike unidentified U.S. targets, the authorities said.

Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge on Sunday put the nation on Code Orange, or high alert to a possible terrorist attack that could "rival or exceed September 11."

However, President Bush yesterday said Americans should "go about their lives."

"Our government is doing everything we can to protect our country. American citizens need to go about their lives, but as they do so, they need to know that governments at all levels are working as hard as we possibly can to protect the American citizens," he said.

In addition to the calls and e-mail, new intelligence data was obtained from al Qaeda detainees. A captured Saudi cleric suspected of having ties to al Qaeda disclosed to Saudi authorities that the terrorist network was planning new attacks using aircraft against U.S. targets, officials said.

A separate FBI "Be on the Lookout" advisory to police agencies throughout the United States urged increased security efforts at potentially vulnerable sites.