Transcript: Ridge Raises Threat Level

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) how the apprehension of the one with the South African passport in Texas factored into this? Was she a catalyst in the threat reporting you're talking about?

RIDGE: Well, first of all, that investigation is still ongoing. The FBI is doing a great job of following it, but to date, based on what we know in that investigation, there's no connection between that individual who was apprehended at the border to the information and the targeting that I've discussed with you this afternoon.

Yes?

QUESTION: Mr. Defense Secretary, does the intelligence indicate basically physical threats against these institutions or electronic attack to screw up or fuzz-bust, whatever you want to say, electronics commerce among the financial sector?

RIDGE: I think when we look at the infrastructure protection, there are three concerns we would have, the physical destruction the cyberinvolvement, or perhaps those inside might cause damage or destruction.

The analytical piece that's associated with this would suggest that based on what we have gleaned so far, the preferred method of attack or what's being suggested in the reporting is car and truck bombs -- the physical destruction or attempted fill destruction of these facilities.

Yes?

QUESTION: Do any of the these security measures pour tend a disruption inadvertent of the financial markets or any (inaudible) prevention of destruction? Will they be transparent to traders and those involved in the markets?

RIDGE: I think, I'm not quite sure I understand the question, but let me try to answer it this way. These are significant institutions that relate to our leadership role in the international economy, but to a certain extent, it's really not the destruction of a single building will not undermine the greatest and strongest economy in the world.

RIDGE: So to a certain extent, they're almost iconic. They're visible targets perhaps known around the rest of the world.

But the fact of the matter is, as I said before, the financial services industry since 9/11 has built in systems of protection, and protection of the systems that help regulate and help control the equity markets, the flow of currency in and around the entire world.

Yes?

QUESTION: Can you talk a little bit more about the nature of the intelligence? You said specific, credible, and multiple sources. Is it coming from interrogations, the Internet, interceptions?

RIDGE: I will just -- I will tell you that -- just to stay consistent with what I said before, multiple locations, multiple sources, and you can read into that, because of -- again, I think it's very important to point out that most of those sources are related to the extraordinary offensive effort we have taken overseas.

Playing strong offense overseas, in many different ways, the military, the CIA, the partnerships, our global partners, gives us a capability to prepare better defense back home.

Yes?