CNN.com - Aschroft to issue new terror alert.

Attorney General John Ashcroft will announce details of the new threat at a 5:30 p.m. ET news conference. He will urge U.S. law enforcement agencies, citizens and U.S. interests abroad to be on high alert, sources said.

Fine, except for the ‘will announce new details’ part.

If I tell you ‘be on the lookout during the next week or so, because someone might try something’ — well, I’ve just summarized the announcement.

I’ve got to wonder if it honestly helps to tell people “we think something might happen, but we won’t tell you what… we’ll just tell you to look out and let you worry for the next 10 days.” I know there are good reasons not to tell people; hell, I agree with them — but if you aren’t going to tell people, then DON’T TELL PEOPLE. If you’re going to tell us something, then make it something more than Panic-Fluff.