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NYC Port Authority explosion: Is there a broader threat?

Published  December 12, 2017 2:54pm EST
News
FOX 29 Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - At Philadelphia's Suburban Station Monday, the sounds of the season-- Christmas music and a Salvation Army bell ringer-- seemed out of sync with the sights: heavily armed police almost everywhere you looked.

The presence was deliberate and passengers noticed.

"I am always happy to see them because it makes us feel a little safer," said one man.
But were not about to change their routine.

"If I give into the fear I become part of the problem and the terrorists win," said another.

Philadelphia police say there is no indication that local transportation hubs would be targeted in the aftermath of the attempted pipe bombing at the Port Authority bus terminal in New York City Monday morning.

But they say they've been in touch with NYPD and they're already trying to learn from the incident.

"We look at these," said Deputy Police Commissioner for Homeland Security Dennis Wilson. "Every agency looks at them. We look at our preparedness, our response. We look at-- is there a way we could do better?"

Local law enforcement is repeating its usual post-attack plea to the public: be vigilant. If you see something-- no matter how small-- say something.

Said Septa Police Chief Tom Nestel: "When the hair on the back of your neck stands up or when you look at something and go, 'hmmm, that doesn't look right,' we want to know."

At 30th St. Station-- where law enforcement was also highly visible-- Jeff and Sally Schneider from Lynchburg, Virginia, were waiting for an Amtrak train home, after attending Saturday's Army-Navy football game.

They travel a lot and will continue to do so, come what may.

"I've never been in the situation where those things happened while we traveled," said Sally of the attempted bombing, "and it would probably make me pause, but it wouldn't stop me."

"I hear the newscasters say '...so this will never happen again,' and I just chuckle," said Jeff, "because it's going to happen again. And again. No matter what we do. No matter how hard we try."