NATIONAL BRIEFING / WASHINGTON, D.C.
Police will block all bridges crossing the Potomac River into Washington and close a huge chunk of downtown when President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office Jan. 20, securing the largest area of the nation’s capital for any inauguration.
Some 3.5 square miles of downtown, including the business district and government buildings surrounding the National Mall, will be closed to traffic starting the afternoon of Jan. 19, the day before the inauguration, and remain closed until Jan. 21, the Secret Service announced.
U.S. intelligence officials say they know of no specific, credible terrorist threat, but the celebration surrounding the inauguration of the nation’s first black president remains a potential target for international and domestic terrorists.
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