US to strenghten security in view of Mumbai blasts

Washington, July 12 (UNI) The US Department of Homeland Security, while closely monitoring the bombings in Mumbai along with the federal government, today said even as the country did not face any possible terrorist threats, security level would be beefed up across the country .

In a statement Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said, ''At this time, there is no specific or credible intelligence suggesting an imminent threat to the homeland or our transit systems. There are no plans to raise the nation's threat level as a result of this atrocious act.'' ''We will work with individual transit agencies that may choose to increase their vigilance, as a matter of prudence, at this time.

More generally, we will continue to strengthen mass transit security throughout the country,'' he added.

He offered deepest sympathies and condolences to the victims and people of India.

''US will continue to stand with India in the war against terror,'' he added.

Meanwhile, New York's two US senators, Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton said here the bombings in India showed the urgent need to increase federal protection for this nation's subways, buses and tunnels, which they called the ''soft targets'' of homeland security.

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