The federal government Wednesday is implements a new terrorism alert system that replaces the color-coded alerts put in position after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
The new system only has two levels of alerts - compare to the previous system's five levels.
"The National Terrorism Advisory System, which was urbanized in close collaboration with our federal, state, local, tribal and private sector partners, will provide the American public with information about credible threats so that they can better protect themselves, their families, and their communities," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement ahead of the official statement at 11:30 a.m.
She'll make the announcement in New York, where more than 2,700 people were killing when two hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center's twin towers.
The two alert levels of the new system will be "elevated threat," which "warns of a believable terrorist threat" to the United States; and "imminent threat," which "warns of a credible, exact and impending terrorist threat," according to a Department of Homeland Security statement.
The two alert levels of the new system will be "elevated threat," which "warns of a believable terrorist threat" to the United States; and "imminent threat," which "warns of a credible, exact and impending terrorist threat," according to a Department of Homeland Security statement.
Any alert will routinely expire after a specific time, although they could be extended if new information shows a threat persists, DHS said.
