Page 4 - ATODAY
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U.S. NEWS A3
Wednesday 23 March 2016
U.S. steps up security amid fears of copycat attacks
BRADLEY KLAPPER in the city now requires ap- all Americans in Brussels.
ALICIA A. CALDWELL proval. The embassy there issued
Associated Press Secretary of State John Ker- a statement telling U.S. citi-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The ry, accompanying Obama zens to stay where they are
Obama administration in Cuba, said in a state- and “take the appropriate
stepped up security at ma- ment the U.S. was working steps to bolster your per-
jor transit hubs across the to determine the status of sonal security.”
country after Tuesday’s air-
port and subway bombings Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson addresses an audi-
in Brussels, as top U.S. intel- ence Monday, March 21, 2016, during a forum at John F. Ken-
ligence officials warned of nedy School of Government on the campus of Harvard Univer-
the risk for copycat attacks sity, in Cambridge, Mass. Johnson was sworn in as the fourth
at home. President Barack Secretary of Homeland Security in 2013.
Obama vowed to help Associated Press
Belgium track down those
responsible for the deadly vana, where he was clos- erlands, but the military
explosions. ing his historic, three-day wouldn’t identify him by
Homeland Security Secre- visit. The attack immediate- name. Officials said he was
tary Jeh Johnson stressed ly overshadowed events a lieutenant colonel.
there is no “specific, cred- on the island, with Obama Mormon church officials,
ible intelligence” point- addressing the tragedy meanwhile, said three of
ing to a similar plot in at the top of a keynote its missionaries from Utah
America, but he said the speech to the Cuban peo- were seriously injured in the
Transportation Security ple and again at an exhibi- blasts and were hospital-
Administration would de- tion baseball game. ized. They were identified
ploy additional security “The world must unite,” as Richard Norby, 66, of
at major airports and rail Obama said after offering Lehi; Joseph Empey, 20, of
stations in different cities. his condolences in a tele- Santa Clara; and Mason
Officials also reviewed ad- phone call with Belgian Wells, 19, of Sandy. They
ditional security measures Prime Minister Charles Mi- had been serving in Paris
for travelers from Belgium, chel. “We can and we will and were at the airport
among more than three defeat those who threaten with a fourth missionary
dozen countries whose citi- the safety and security who was on her way to an
zens generallydon’t need of people all around the assignment in Ohio.
a visa to enter the U.S. world.” Several Americans Following the attacks, U.S.
The attacks in the Belgian were injured, including an European Command an-
capital underscored the Air Force officer and his nounced new prohibitions
growing threat posed by wife and four children who on unofficial military and
the Islamic State group were at the airport. The ser- Defense Department em-
on both sides of the At- vice member is stationed ployee travel to Brussels
lantic. The bombs in Brus- at Joint Force Command “until further notice.” Offi-
sels’ airport and subway Brunssum, in the Neth- cial travel to the NATO hub
locked down the Europe-
an Union’s capital just a
few months after attacks
shocked Paris and San Ber-
nadino, California.
“We will do whatever is
necessary to support our
friend and ally Belgium in
bringing to justice those
who are responsible,”
Obama declared in Ha-
