UNION SQUARE — Subway security has been increased after Iraq's prime minister said Islamic State militants in his country were planning transit attacks in the United States and Paris, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner William Bratton announced Thursday.
The Associated Press reported that Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, speaking near the United Nations, where the General Assembly is taking place, said he had received intelligence from Baghdad that attacks were being planned.
De Blasio and Bratton said there were no substantiated threats against New York City's subway system. The pair rode the subway from City Hall uptown to the Union Square station.
"We are convinced that New Yorkers are safe," de Blasio said at a press conference after emerging from the subway. "The terrorists want us to live in fear, we refuse to live in fear."
But until the threats are completely debunked, Bratton said police have ramped up security at the city's 450 stations.
Officers from the day shift are being held over to provide increased police presence, transit officers will be performing increased bag checks, vapor detecting dogs are being deployed along with surveillance teams.
Bratton said the city was already on high alert due to the Jewish holidays and the General Assembly.
"The people of the city should feel secure," Bratton said.
While al-Abadi said that the plot has "not been disrupted yet... this is a network," U.S. officials say they have no confirmed threats, the Associated Press reported.
"What we are doing is taking precautions until we have more information," de Blasio said shortly before he and Bratton turned around and descended back down into the subway.
