Prendergast Assures Us There's No Credible Terror Threat to the Transit System
Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi surprised everyone in New York, especially transit workers, when he told reporters at the UN Thursday morning that his country's intelligence operation had uncovered a plot for an “imminent attack” on subway systems in United States and Paris. Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, and Police Commissioner Bratton all poured cold water on the threat report. Cuomo and de Blasio even rode the subway to demonstrate that New Yorkers had nothing to fear.
MTA Chair Thomas Prendergast, in a telephone call, assured TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen that there was no credible threat against the New York City transit system. Prendergast also assured Samuelsen that he would keep the union informed should the situation escalate. In a statement to TWU members, President Samuelsen said that transit workers have a special vested interest in the safety of the transit system. "Should there be a terrorist act on our system, transit workers will be essential to the response. We must be extra vigilant during this period of uncertainty. The families that ride this system are depending on us."