Securing political conventions

Second set of conventions since 9/11 will be pull on resources Denver Mounted Police officers talks with a man on Thursday as they patrol Civic Center Park in Denver. WASHINGTON - Every day the Secret Service thinks: Today could be THE day. That's the sober mind-set going into the presidential conventions — both of which present special security challenges for this legendary agency in the throes of the longest political campaign in history. These will be the second set of conventions since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. But, perhaps surprisingly to outsiders, al-Qaida is not the leading concern. Not that the terrorism potential is being overlooked. But the Secret Service and FBI are giving special attention to the possibility of action by other extremists — radicals from the left or right, anarchists, lone wolf crazies... [read full story]