Mike Manley, who will head the city's emergency-operations center on New Year's Eve. But the issue of millennium terrorism, stewing behind the scenes through the year, has been thrust to the forefront in the past two weeks. Yesterday, federal agents said they detected traces of possible explosives in a car carrying an Algerian arrested in Vermont at the U.S.-Canada border on Sunday. The man, Bouabide Chamchi, had falsified documents. He was carrying a fake Canadian passport and two phony driver's licenses.
Police continue to search for an alleged accomplice.
In the wake of those events, the U.S. Customs Service has transferred 300 employees to do more frequent and thorough border checks. Last week, the State Department warned Americans in other countries to watch out for terrorist acts. Still, Stout said the FBI will beef up staffing at its Cincinnati center New Year's Eve through New Year's Day and will station agents at the Ohio Emergency Management Agency operations center on the Northwest Side. The center will monitor roads, fire and police departments, utilities, food supplies, health-care providers, banks and prisons, agency spokesman Dick Kimmins said. The State Highway Patrol will provide security.