Hawaii’s terror threat
to remain at ‘elevated’

New intelligence that warns of terror attacks to financial centers does not include any specific threat to the islands, but a top state civil defense official is urging the public to be "more vigilant" in the coming week.

Edward Teixeira, vice director of Hawaii's Civil Defense, said the state's terror threat level will remain at "yellow," or "elevated."

The Department of Homeland Security raised threat levels for three areas on the mainland yesterday to "orange," which indicates a high risk of terror attack.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said there was credible evidence to suggest financial institutions in New York City, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., were being targeted for attacks.

Teixeira said he was in on a nationwide conference call with Ridge this morning and was alerted of no specific threat to Hawaii.

"However, the governor and lieutenant governor were briefed, and all of our partners in security and disaster preparedness and response -- including Hawaii's financial community -- have been notified about the increased threat condition," he said. "That knowledge will tend to make all of us -- including the public -- more vigilant."