FBI: No Known Terror Plots Aimed at Times Square on New Year's Eve

With just hours to go before the ball drops, the FBI in New York says it knows of no credible terrorist threats involving the traditional New Year's Eve celebration in Manhattan's famed Times Square.

"While there's no credible threat, the FBI and NYPD, as they do every year, will have a large security effort in and around Times Square," FBI agent Richard Kolko, a spokesman for the New York office, told AOL News.

Kolko said the FBI and New York police will have fully operational control centers and teams of bomb techs to respond to suspicious packages. Hazmat and SWAT teams, evidence techs and hostage negotiators will also be on hand.

Additionally, The Associated Press reported that manhole covers will be sealed, counter-snipers will stand guard on rooftops, officers will use radiation detectors, checkpoints will be set up using concrete blocks, and plainclothes and uniformed officers will circulate in the crowd, which could approach 1 million.

Federal law enforcement sources elsewhere in the country told AOL News they have heard of no credible terrorist plots to disrupt New Year's Eve celebrations.

But one federal source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said something did catch the attention of authorities in the past week: writings on what was described as a "jihadist website" about unspecified attacks on Los Angeles. There was no date attached to the threats.

The source emphasized that the threat was being given "low credibility" and added that "it's not uncommon for this type of posting" to surface on a regular basis.

Authorities were said to be "hyper-vigilant" during the holiday season, particularly after recent FBI stings in Portland, Ore., Baltimore and Washington, D.C., in which suspected homegrown terrorists were arrested after allegedly plotting to detonate bombs. Authorities said the targets of the three plots included the D.C. Metro subway system, a Christmas-tree-lighting ceremony in Portland and a military recruiting center in the Baltimore area.

In the aftermath of those alleged plots, just days before Christmas, John Brennan, President Barack Obama's chief counterterrorism adviser, issued a statement:

"As we enter the peak of another holiday season, the homeland security, law enforcement and intelligence communities are collectively focused on doing everything they can to prevent terrorists from disrupting the safety and security of Americans as they travel, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy holiday festivities both at home and abroad.

"We remain vigilant to attempts by al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations to carry out cowardly attacks against innocent men, women and children, and we are working very closely with other governments to share all threat information immediately and to coordinate closely our counterterrorism and security activities."