The US government lowered its terror threat level back to yellow, or "elevated," today, but warned Americans to stay alert as a significant risk of an attack against the United States still existed.
The decision was announced 20 days after the color-coded threat level had been raised to orange, the second-highest level on the five-point scale and which means a "high" risk of terrorist attack.
Attorney General Mr John Ashcroft, in consultation with Homeland Security Secretary Mr Tom Ridge, recommended the lower threat level based on "a review of intelligence and an assessment of threats by the intelligence community."
The alert levels have become controversial and sometimes the target of ridicule, with critics saying they cause confusion, have trigged unnecessary fear and panic and do little to inform the public.
In a statement, Mr Ashcroft and Mr Ridge said one reason that the level was being downgraded was because the period around the Muslim haj pilgrimage season, which ended February 13th, was over.
In raising the alert, US officials cited an increased likelihood that Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, which has been blamed by Washington for the September 11th, 2001 attacks, may attempt to attack Americans in the United States or abroad near the end of the haj.
Mr Ashcroft and Mr Ridge emphasized the United States was still at a significant risk of terrorist attack.