Vague threat targets Metro

Metro has not taken any extra security precautions in the wake of an nonspecific warning from the Department of Homeland Security about a potential threat against the transit system, according to Metro Transit Police.

"This is a very vague and uncorroborated threat, so our normal posture in the subway system should suffice to address a threat of this nature," said Jeff Delinski, deputy chief of the Metro Transit Police, on Tuesday.

The threat was first reported by NBC4, which said it obtained a copy of a Homeland Security memo about the threat.

Delinksi said the intelligence warning indicated that in late July a person in Turkey was seeking a U.S. visa and had an intent to harm the Metro system. "No other information leads us to believe this threat can be carried out," Delinksi said.

He said previous intelligence on possible threats against Metro have been more specific, including two or three in 2009 that included information such as specific places and names or descriptions of suspects.

Delinksi said the warning illustrates how the intelligence community in the Washington region shares information.

"We're in the loop any time that there is a whisper of a threat that concerns the Metro system," he said.

-- Ann Scott Tyson