(Newswire.net — October 29, 2014) — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced that due to “continued public calls” for terrorist attacks, the US is piling up security at thousands of government buildings around the country.
As a “precautionary step,” new security measures will affect more than 9,500 federal buildings as well as the 1.4 million people who visit these facilities every day, said Johnson.
Johnson stated that the reasons for this move is “self-evident” as public calls by terrorist organizations continued, not only in Canada but in the world as well. The threats were not only to buildings, however, Johnson said that they included threats against law enforcement and other government officials, and acts of violence targeted at government personnel and installations in the US, Canada or elsewhere.
“Given world events, prudence dictates a heightened vigilance in the protection of US government installations and our personnel,” said Johnson.
Johnson refused to share details on how the new policies will be implemented by the Federal Protective Service, which is responsible for the safety of government facilities. Johnson, however, said that the measures will differ from location to location.
An unnamed Homeland Security source told CNN that despite the enhanced security measures “no new intelligence” exists to suggest government buildings are under a threat, more serious than they were before.
The move comes less than a week after a gunman in Ottawa, believed to have been driven by political and ideological motives, opened fire and killed a Canadian soldier at the Parliament.
The gunman’s mother, believes her son acted in despair, doubting that her offspring had been radicalized.
Security was also boosted in Washington last month, at the White House, where a number of people have jumped over the fence.