LI terrorist thought LIRR had weak security

After his arrest, Bryant Neal Vinas told investigators one of the reasons he saw the Long Island Rail Road as a target for a terrorist strike was because he felt the subway system was too closely guarded by New York City Police, an NYPD spokesman said Thursday.

But the top cop at the

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Police Department, which patrols the LIRR, said Thursday that the railroad is no more vulnerable than any other transit facility in the region, and that his agency is doing all it can to protect its riders.

"There's nobody that's safer [than anyone else] and everyone's vulnerable," said William Morange, the MTA's director of security. "It's a wide open system."

Federal court records unsealed earlier this week revealed that Vinas, 26, of Patchogue, admitted in January to supplying information on the city's transit system, including the LIRR, to

al-Qaida

for a possible attack around last year's holiday season.

NYPD and MTA police officials both assessed Vinas' knowledge of the transit system as akin to what a typical LIRR commuter would know - and when he pleaded guilty, Vinas said his knowledge came only from riding the train often.

NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said the department increased coverage of mass transit facilities, including at changing points between the city subways and the LIRR, around Thanksgiving.

"This was somebody familiar with the Long Island Rail Road system, an American overseas talking to al-Qaida members, talking about prospects of bombing the Long Island Rail Road. That's what caused the concern," Browne said. "The degree of knowledge is almost besides the point."

Browne said that, following his arrest, Vinas also indicated that he targeted the LIRR because "it feeds into the city and is busy" during the holiday season, but is not patrolled by the NYPD.

Morange said Thursday that the MTA police worked alongside the NYPD in the joint terrorism task force that uncovered Vinas' plot.

"This guy had a lot in his head. He didn't show any means of doing it, but you still have to take it seriously," said Morange.

With increased federal funding, MTA police in 2007 stepped up enforcement on the LIRR and Metro-North Railroad. MTA officials said those efforts include having one of the largest explosive-detecting canine units in the country, with 50 animals, and 24-hour coverage of major transportation terminals.

MTA police also built new police offices throughout the system, and has one under construction at the Central Islip station.

Morange said other LIRR facilities, including train yards, also have constant security.

"We always have to stay on our toes," he said. "If we get complacent, then we've lost."
 

-Josh Seidman contributed to this story.