NYPD Pulling Out All Stops For 'Elevated Threat' 9/11 Anniversary

NEW YORK, NY — Law enforcement officials are gearing up to protect New York City from what they say is an "elevated threat environment" brought on by the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks this weekend.

NYPD top brass said Wednesday that although there has been no "specific and credible threat" against New York City detected by their intelligence experts, they will pull out all the stops to secure both Ground Zero and other potential hotspots across the five boroughs.

"All eyes of the world will be on New York City," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "We are watching because we know the ways of the terrorists — we know this anniversary is going to be on their mind, too."

The months-long plan for the 20th anniversary will bring bomb squads, explosive detection K-9s, heavy weapons teams, licenses plate readers, radiological and chemical sensors and "countless cameras" to Ground Zero before, after and during the annual memorial service on Saturday, according to Chief of Counterterrorism Martine Materasso.

The counterterrorism crews will use magnetic detection devices to scan each person that enters the plaza and form a perimeter of plain-clothes officers around the site to be on the look out for suspicious activity, officials said.

"Starting from the premise of no specific, credible threat...We operate on the idea that there is a threat out there and we have to continuously hunt for that," said John Miller, the city's Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism. "...We pull out all the stops."

The hyper-vigilance comes as intelligence officials monitor more than a dozen propaganda releases from terrorist groups, two-thirds of which are coming from Al-Qaeda, Miller said.

The recent fall of the U.S.-supported government in Afghanistan and the return of the Taliban have also escalated this year's threat level, he said.

"We take note of all of that and factor that into our threat assessment and plans," Miller said.

The 20th anniversary will include events throughout the five boroughs, including at Lincoln Center, Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn and a comedy charity event at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, according to reports.

A family-only ceremony for relatives of 9/11 victims will be held on Saturday morning at the September 11 Memorial & Museum, which will be open to the public later in the day.

NYPD officials urged New Yorkers to call 188-NYC-SAFE or alert a law enforcement officer if they see something suspicious throughout the weekend.