FBI: No Known Terrorist Threats Target Super Bowl

(Feb. 3) -- With just days to go before the big game, the FBI says there's no intelligence here or abroad suggesting terrorists are plotting to disrupt Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, one of America's premier sporting events seen around the world.

"The security is in place, and we're well-prepared for any incident," John V. Gillies, special agent in charge of the Miami FBI, told AOL News. "I want to stress there's no indication of any threats to the Super Bowl at this time."

Still, law enforcement isn't taking any chances.

Legions of federal, state and local law enforcement personnel connected to everything from the Miami-Dade police to the Coast Guard have been preparing to protect the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area on water, land and in the air for the pre-Super Bowl parties and the Sunday night game. The latter is expected to draw a frenzied crowd of 75,000-plus to Sun Trust Stadium.

There will be a no-fly zone around the stadium, and during certain pre-game parties the Coast Guard will beef up patrols around hotels and other venues in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, said Lt. Cmdr. Matt Moorlag, a spokesman for the Coast Guard in Miami.

Gillies said the FBI, which is charged with dealing with terrorist threats, will have several hundred agents and professional support staff on hand, including intelligence analysts, SWAT team members and hostage negotiators from seven different field offices and headquarters. He said FBI agents from Dallas and Indianapolis, where the Super Bowl will be held the next two years, have also been on location to learn about preparations.

Gillies said security preparations, including drills dealing with potential scenarios, have been in the works for more than a year. Miami is sort of an old hand at hosting the event, he said, noting that this is the city's 10th Super Bowl.

He said the FBI will operate a Joint Operations Center off-site that will be able to monitor different areas around the stadium and process incoming intelligence. Gillies said about 50 agencies will have representatives in the center.

"Within the JOC, we have an intelligence operation center that is receiving intelligence all over the world 24/7, right through the game," he said.

The fact that the game comes on the heels of an attempted terrorist act aboard a Detroit-bound plane has not been lost on security officials. "It's a reminder that we have to remain vigilant," Gillies said. "It's a highly visible event around the world viewed by tens of millions of people. So we take that more seriously from that perspective."

Perhaps to show just how important security is, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano paid a visit to the stadium Monday.

"We are doing everything we can think of in preparation to make sure it is a great event," Napolitano told reporters, according to The Associated Press. "I'm here today to see the operation myself. I thought it was important to get down here."

Besides persons with guns scouring the area, there will be bomb dogs. Carlos Baixauli, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Miami, said his agency will have dogs that "can detect over 19,000 explosive mixtures."

He said some of the dogs, as well as ATF explosive enforcement officers, have "served in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Despite the security buildup by law enforcement authorities, people shouldn't feel uneasy, he added.

"We want people to come out and enjoy the festivities," Baixauli said. "Don't worry about security, we're handling that part. The only thing they should worry about is if their team wins or loses."