US President George W. Bush said on Wednesday there was a "real threat" of new al Qaeda attacks, as Democrats accused the administration of shortchanging security budgets.

Bush makes remarks during his first formal press conference since March 6,in the Rose Garden of the White House,July 30. Bush said there was a 'real threat' of al Qaeda attempts to attack the United States, possibly through airline hijackings, but he was confident they would be thwarted. [Reuters]

"The threat is a real threat. ... We don't know when, where, what," Bush said at a news conference when asked about new government warnings of possible al Qaeda attempts to hijack commercial airliners.

"We have got some data that indicates that they would like to use flights, international flights for example," he said. "I'm confident we will thwart the attempts."

Bush's vow of confidence came despite planned cuts in airport screeners and a request to shift $104 million out of the budget for the federal air marshal program, which puts armed plainclothes agents on flights.

Democrats accused Republicans of shortchanging homeland security budgets, and a key Republican said he would not permit the spending shift.

"The majority party is underspending for homeland security," said Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California. "You can't protect the country on the cheap."

In an action disclosed on Tuesday, the Homeland Security Department last week warned the airline industry that al Qaeda was planning new suicide hijackings and bombings in the United States or abroad.

The United States blames Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network for the Sept. 11, 2001, hijacked plane attacks on the United States.

Bush said Washington was communicating with foreign governments and airlines, had improved tracking of foreign travelers, and had made hardened cockpit doors a requirement on flights to the United States.

The president said it was essential to inspect baggage properly on domestic flights and to screen people boarding planes.

The Homeland Security Department last week asked a House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee to let it shift $104 million from the budget for air marshals to accounts such as baggage screening.

But department officials said Wednesday there were no plans to reduce the number or air marshals or the missions they fly.

"America should know that every air marshal that we have is being deployed and additional resources are being directed to that very critical mission," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said in a Washington speech.

Department spokeswoman Rachel Sunbarger said the request to shift spending applied only to surplus funds. Enough money would remain to continue the marshal program without affecting the missions, she said.

But the subcommittee chairman Rep. Harold Rogers, a Kentucky Republican, issued a statement opposing the shift.

"Given new warnings ... it is foolish to even consider cutting back the number of air marshals on commercial flights," Rogers said.

"I am adamantly opposed to any attempt to shift money away from the core missions of this vital program and will deny any request to do so," he said.

In addition to the marshal program, the Transportation Security Administration said in April it would cut 11 percent of its force of airport screeners to meet congressional demands to save money.

Bush said the United States was learning more about al Qaeda and its plans from captured operatives. That is despite the failure so far to capture bin Laden.

"We're dismantling the operating decision-makers," Bush said. "We've got better intelligence gathering, better intelligence sharing. And we're on the hunt. And we will stay on the hunt."

Close

Today's Top News		Top International News
+The next great leap after Shenzhou V ( 2003-10-21) +Hu calls for balanced development ( 2003-10-21) +Report: SARS not airborne virus ( 2003-10-21) +Japan urged to resolve weapons issue ( 2003-10-21) +Int'l AIDS group opens Beijing office ( 2003-10-21)		+US hopes Iraq fund will attract donors ( 2003-10-21) +Bolivia ex-president vows to return ( 2003-10-21) +UN report: US war on terror radicalizes Arabs ( 2003-10-21) +Israel raids in Gaza kill 10, wound 100 ( 2003-10-21) +EU ministers arrive in Iran for nuclear talks ( 2003-10-21)