Berkeley Lab’s Security and Counterintelligence office offers the following information to employees in response to the terrorist bombings in London last week:

The London attacks are similar in many respects to last year's attacks in Madrid, Spain, which means there is a terrorist cell operating in London with the potential to conduct follow-up attacks on critical infrastructures. London authorities will need a few days to stabilize the situation, identify other potential terrorist issues and be in position to provide maximum protection to people traveling there.

Preliminary indications are that there are several Lab staff members who are on official business travel in the United Kingdom, but not in London.

LBNL Counterintelligence recommends that employees scheduled to travel to London during the next several days review their plans and connections to see if there have been any changes. Employees currently in other cities in England -- or who are elsewhere in Europe with travel plans that involve passing through London -- should check with their airlines.

For additional information, contact Steve Minniear (pager 800-784-1856) or Dan Lunsford (x6016).

TRANSIT SYSTEM TRAVEL

In response to the London attacks, the Bush administration raised the terror alert to code orange for the nation's mass transit systems.

The heightened alert applies to regional and inter-city passenger rail, subways and metropolitan bus systems, said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "There has been no specific credible evidence pointing toward an attack in the United States. At the same time we are also asking for increased vigilance, particularly in the U.S. transportation system," he said.

Raising the alert level to orange, or high, means local officials are urged to implement heightened security measures such as increasing police patrols, inspecting vehicles and using bomb-sniffing dogs. Secretary Chertoff stressed that authorities are not asking Americans to avoid using their subways and bus systems in light of the London attack.

LBNL, in conjunction with the DOE Office of Science, is continuing to monitor the situation overseas and will advise employees of any changes to the Lab’s security posture or Security Condition (Secon) levels.