DHS chief: ‘Be vigilant and be aware’ during Thanksgiving, holiday season

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Wednesday urged Americans to “be vigilant and be aware” as they kick off the holiday season, but reiterated his assertion from earlier this week that there was “no credible threat of a terrorist plot to the homeland.”

Speaking with reporters outside Union Station in Washington, where thousands of commuters and travelers were making their way to Metro trains and interstate rail lines, Johnson said people should expect to see a heightened presence of security and law enforcement, but that the focus for his department and partnering agencies was on the mission they had prior to the terrorist attacks in Paris nearly two weeks ago.

“What we are focused on and continue to be focused on as we have before Paris, are potential copycat acts, similar to things that occur overseas,” Johnson said. “We are focused on lone actors as well and we’ve seen some of that overseas and here in recent months.”

Since a group of extremists killed 130 people in a coordinated attack in the French capital, neighboring countries in Europe have been on high alert for additional threats. That watchfulness spread to the United States several days later when a video produced by the Islamic State group threatened an attack on Washington.

Earlier this week, the State Department issued a worldwide travel alert advising U.S. citizens to “exercise vigilance when in public places or using transportation.”

“Be aware of immediate surroundings and avoid large crowds or crowded places,” the alert stated. “Exercise particular caution during the holiday season and at holiday festivals or events.”

According to figures from AAA Mid-Atlantic, nearly 47 million people are expected to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, about 1.2 million of those from the D.C. area.

Of those traveling, roughly 90 percent of them will be driving, while 3.6 million will be flying. Roughly 1.4 million are taking another mode of transportation.

“We are vigilant, we are aware,” Johnson said. “It should be obvious to the public that there’s a heightened presence in places like here … at airports, other places, other public events, other public gather places. There’s a heightened presence by law enforcement, by security personnel, but in general we want to encourage the public as the holiday season begins to travel, be with your family, celebrate the holidays. Go to public events, go to public gatherings, but be vigilant and be aware.”

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