US News

US government bolsters security at federal buildings

WASHINGTON – The government stepped up security at federal buildings here and around the country in the wake of the deadly attack on Canada’s parliament and ongoing threats from Islamic extremists.

Department of Homeland Secretary Jeh Johnson announced the enhanced security action Tuesday evening, calling it a “precautionary step” to safeguard government workers, visitors and buildings.

“The reasons for this action are self-evident,” Johnson said.

“…Given world events, prudence dictates a heightened vigilance in the protection of U.S. government installations and our personnel.”

The boosted security measures started over the weekend.

Officials declined to disclose how many of the 9,500 federal buildings are affected and what the additional security layers entail. In all, more than 1.4 million visitors and workers pass through federal buildings in Washington and elsewhere daily.

The response comes a week after a gunman who recently converted to Islam stormed into Canada’s parliament and National War Memorial opening fire. Secretary of State John Kerry mourned the solider killed, Corporal Nathan Cirillo, while in Canada Tuesday in what he called “a terrorist attack.”

Last Thursday, another lone wolf attacked four Queens rookie cops with a hatchet. Police say the self-radicalized Zale Thompson was inspired by Islamic calls for jihad and sympathized with ISIS.

The brutal terrorist group beheaded two American journalists and urged its supporters to wage their own lone-wolf attacks on Americans and Europeans.

The US launched its air war against ISIS extremists in Syria in September, stoking their pleas to American and Europeans sympathizers to “kill the disbeliever(s).”

Johnson cited the continued public calls for terrorist attacks against police and government when announcing the heightened vigilance.

“It’s simply being safe rather than sorry,” GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss, who sits on the intelligence committee, said on CNN Tuesday.

The security of federal buildings has already been under scrutiny.

Federal buildings are protected by the Federal Protective Service.

A government audit last year, however, found agents from the service weren’t prepared to handle an active shooter due to a lack of training.

The most high profile security breaches came this summer when the Secret Service failed to prevent a man armed with a knife from jumping the White House fence and entering the president’s home.

The agency added another fence in response, but another jumper still managed to reach the White House lawn last week before two Secret Service dogs stopped him.