Ridge Defends Old Intel in Terror Alerts

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Tuesday the government concluded "it was essential" to publicize detailed surveillance documents and raise the terror alert, even though the intelligence information dated from as far back as 2000 and 2001. Speaking at a news conference in New York, Ridge said that because of the heightened security steps, "We have made it much more difficult for the terrorists to achieve their broad objectives." Yet investigators said they are still trying to determine whether the individuals who amassed the information, principally on financial institutions in New York, Newark and Washington, are still in the country and plotting, or whether the plot was old. [more]