New York City's police commissioner said Wednesday that a potential retaliatory attack on New York City by Iran is an ongoing concern for the NYPD.
Commissioner Raymond Kelly spoke at the NYPD Shield Anti-Terrorism Conference.
According to the New York Post, Kelly said that a possible conflict between Iran and Israel was of concern to the law enforcement agency due to the city's large Jewish population.
"We’ve been concerned about Iran for a while, and I think the history of those events throughout the world since January give us cause for concern," he said.
"Obviously if there's any action involving Israel and Iran we have to be very cognizant of the potential of retaliation here in New York City," Kelly was quoted by the New York Post as saying.
Lt. Kevin Yorke of the NYPD's Intelligence Division also addressed the conference, saying that one of the issues the NYPD is mostly concerned about is the potential for a retaliation attack on New York City by Iran or Hezbollah.
A search of Harris' checked luggage uncovered numerous suspicious items, including a smoke grenade, knives, body bags, a hatchet, a collapsible baton, a biohazard suit, a gas mask, billy clubs, handcuffs, leg irons and a device to repel dogs, authorities said.
"Within the last year, we've seen a worldwide increase in incidents involving the stockpiling of explosives, the surveillance of targets, and a number of very significant plots and attacks," he said.
The NYPD's Intelligence Division believes that the increase in activity "is in direct relation to Iran’s nuclear-weapons program and the tension surrounding it," according to Yorke.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles authorities have arrested a passenger at LAX after he was found to be wearing a bulletproof vest and flame-resistant pants, triggering a Homeland Security investigation.
Yongda Huang Harris, 28, was taken into custody and according to the FBI is not cooperating with authorities.
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