NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly says the area near a federal courthouse where five suspected terrorists will stand trial will be divided into two secure perimeters.
Kelly on Tuesday said a "soft'' perimeter which stretches south from Canal Street south and west from Broadway will be monitored by cops. The "hard'' perimeter closer to the courthouse will be blocked off by metal gates and inspection points put in place.
Kelly says he's aware of a possible economic impact to the area near the courthouse, but tight security is a necessity for the upcoming trials of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others.
The men have been charged with war crimes. No trial date has been set. Kelly says the security changes won't go into effect until the last minute to minimize disruption to residents.
Earlier this month, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the costs incurred in maintaining security for the high-profile trial could escalate to hundreds of millions of dollars – a far heftier price tag than was initially projected.
Bloomberg put the cost at $216 million for the first year after Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other suspects arrive in Manhattan from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After that, the mayor said it would cost $200 million annually for as long as the men are detained in the city — mainly overtime for extra New York Police Department patrols.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly had given an initial estimate of $75 million a year but later warned it could be higher.
