Temporary Defenses

When the First Family is out of town, as it was last week, the lights on the White House lawn are usually dark. But at dusk last Thursday the grounds came brilliantly alight. Caught in the glare were seven sand-filled Government trucks that set up barricades at the mansion's gates. At the State Department, similar drastic security measures were in effect. The precautions were sparked by a bomb threat received by the FBI. It coincided with a review of security prompted by the October truck bombing in Beirut and the terrorist blast that left a gaping hole in a wall at the U.S. Capitol. Among the steps taken for presidential security: guard dogs were assigned to sniff all cars and trucks for explosives as they pass through the 8 1/2-ft. steel gates. The sand-filled trucks are only temporary. The Secret Service is studying the possibility of installing fortified gates that will serve as a more permanent, and more decorative, defense against potential car bombs. This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.