Terrorists target finances

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The federal government increased the threat level to "high" for specific financial institutions in New York City, Washington and New Jersey yesterday, citing intelligence about a terrorist plot to strike with car or truck bombs.

New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said trucks would be banned starting today from the Williamsburg Bridge, which connects Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, the Associated Press reported.

The Holland Tunnel, which runs from New Jersey into Lower Manhattan, would be closed to all inbound commercial traffic also beginning today, said Tony Ciavolella, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge held a press conference in Washington to announce that officials had obtained "new and unusually specific information about where al Qaeda would like to attack."

He named the following as the most likely targets:

• The Citicorp building and the New York Stock Exchange in New York City.

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank buildings in Washington.

• The Prudential Plaza in Newark, N.J.

"Based on what we've gleaned so far, the preferred method of attack or what's being suggested in the reporting is car and truck bombs," Mr. Ridge said.

Mr. Ridge said the targets were "significant institutions that relate to our leadership role in the international economy," but said even attacks on key institutions cannot significantly disrupt world financial markets.