Mayor Says NYC Will Be Safe for New Year's Eve

[BEER980]

Monday, December 29, 2003



NEW YORK — Despite the nationwide terrorism alert, the pilot of a small plane breached restricted airspace and circled the Statue of Liberty, and a man stole a bus and drove it to Kennedy Airport.

Nevertheless, Michael Bloomberg said the city is well protected for New Year's Eve, when revelers will jam Times Square.

"I don't think that anybody should stay home Wednesday night because of security issues," he said Monday. "There'll be hundreds of thousands, millions of people -- they're all going to have a great time and they're going to be safe."

The city has remained on orange status, or high alert, since the national color-coded system was introduced in March 2002. And when the national terror-attack warning was returned to the orange level before Christmas, the city mobilized hundreds of extra police officers to patrol locations that could be targets.

On Sunday, a single-engine plane flew through LaGuardia Airport airspace without permission, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Air traffic controllers tried to contact the pilot, who flew down the East River toward the Statue of Liberty, FAA spokesman Jim Peters said.

A city police helicopter with machine gun-armed officers intercepted the plane and escorted it to an airport on Long Island, said the plane's pilot, Richard Langone.

Langone, 47, of Atlantic Beach, said he had gotten confused while flying a new route and entered the restricted airspace by mistake.

"I was scared to death," he told the New York Post.

Peters said Langone could face a range of penalties, from a letter of warning to revocation of his pilot's license.

Also on Sunday, a Brooklyn man stole a bus from Manhattan's Port Authority Bus Terminal, used by hundreds of buses daily, and drove it to Kennedy Airport. Police said they arrested David Slade, 42, who apparently was drunk when he took the bus, which belonged to a private bus line.

Authorities said it was not clear what Slade intended to do with the bus. He was charged Monday with criminal possession of stolen property, unauthorized vehicle use and driving while intoxicated. He could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

There was no home telephone listing for Slade in Brooklyn.

[wx247]

Maybe it is because he followed such an incredible mayor like Guiliani, but Bloomberg strikes me as a buffoon.

[streetsoldier]

Now, be nice, wx247..."incredibly RICH buffoon".

[JCT777]

I don't think there will be a terrorist incident in NYC on New Year's Eve. I think any terrorist attack will happen when people least expect it.

[wx247]

Now, be nice, wx247..."incredibly RICH buffoon".

Sorry Bill. I won't let it happen again.

[furluvcats]

Did you hear how the cruise industry is being targeted as well? Prices will fall on cruises, this has happened before, but we seem to nip anything before it happens. Its just unfortunate for the cruiselines when an alert like this is put out, targeting their specific industry, bc they srat loosing money right away. Not a bad time to book a cruise tho...

Keep us safe America!

[janswizard]

Even if they feel the city (NYC) will be safe, you wouldn't catch me anywhere near it for New Year's Eve. I heard they will be searching inbound traffic - that's not going to stop anyone who is already in the city from releasing a suitcase bomb or deadly gas.