WASHINGTON – A straight answer about whether authorities are aware of pending terror threats against Washington, D.C. has been hard to come by, but their reluctance to answer the question may be the answer.
Since the failed Times Square bombing in May, there have been rampant rumblings that attacks in Washington may have been planned.
During WTOP’s Ask the Chief program, D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier was asked to comment on these rumblings.
“I’m not going to comment on anything,” said Lanier. “Obviously if there was anything that was protected information that I was aware of, I wouldn’t comment on it anyway.”
When pressed again, this time asked if she had known of any plots that have been stopped, she said, “I can only comment on the things, that you know, I can comment on.”
Intelligence sources tell WTOP that silence may have more to do with an ongoing investigation.
What would Lanier say?
“There’s been an extremely coordinated effort, around the country, especially in the major metropolitan areas in working with our partners in the federal government to make sure that every lead is run all the way through.”
Other officials who have been asked about any known threats have no avoided the question, but have not answered it either.
WTOP’s J.J. Green contributed to this report
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