On the heels of a Homeland Security memo warning of an al-Qaida terror threat to gas U.S. subways, six transit workers in New York and three people in Boston were overcome today by fumes in the cities’ respective subway systems.
“There were negative results on anything radiological. No foul play is suspected,” John Odermatt, head of New York’s Office of Emergency Management told Reuters. “Six transit workers were being treated after being exposed to fumes.”
A strange odor before lunch on the New York subway track prompted emergency crews to respond, as holiday travelers prepared to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.
Officials say the transit workers were working on a construction project underground between West 23rd and West 14th streets when they were affected by the fumes, and they received treatment for nausea, vomiting and dizziness at St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center.
The fumes in New York have not been identified.
 Subways seen as targets for al-Qaida terrorists |
Boston’s WCVB-TV reports at least three passengers were aboard a Blue Line train around 4 p.m. when they complained of breathing difficulties and dizziness.
A station was shut down for about an hour as the fumes were contained to one subway car. Officials say the fumes in Boston were from pepper spray.
“We have a total of three patients who were transported to Mass. General Hospital complaining of some respiratory problems, itchy throat, scratchy eyes while on board a train,” Boston EMS’s Rich Serino told WCVB. “They exited a train, sat down and felt better. We put them on oxygen and we are now transporting them to Mass. General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”
The incidents come on the heels of a federal warning regarding potential threats to subways.
As WorldNetDaily reported last night, Al-Qaida terrorists have developed a crude device designed to spread deadly cyanide gas through the ventilation systems of crowded indoor facilities such as subways, according to a closely held security directive issued to law enforcement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and obtained exclusively by WND.
“Al-Qaida remains intent on using chemical or biological agents in attacks on the homeland,” says the internal warning. “Terrorists have designed a crude chemical dispersal device fabricated from commonly available materials, which is designed to asphyxiate its victims.”
Marked “For Official Use Only,” the five-page memo issued Friday says the device produces cyanogen chloride gas and hydrogen cyanide gas, and can be placed near air intakes or ventilation systems in crowded open spaces or enclosed spaces.
“These gases are most effective when released in confined spaces such as subways, buildings or other crowded indoor facilities,” adds the Homeland Security memo, which was distributed to federal agencies in anticipation of possible al-Qaida attacks around the end of the Muslim holiday Ramadan, which happens to coincide with Thanksgiving and the start of the regular holiday season.
Citing “recent information” from al-Qaida sources, the directive also warns of possible car-bombings in America, as first reported Monday by WorldNetDaily, and advises security officials to take code-red protective measures to guard government buildings and gas and other chemical plants.
“Al-Qaida continues to plan attacks against U.S. targets,” the memo asserts.
Despite the high-threat measures, the administration has decided to keep the public terror-threat alert at yellow, or elevated.
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