MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARDsMEN take up post outside the gates of Grand Gulf Nuclear Station Friday. (The Vicksburg Post/MELANIE DUNCAN)

[11/3/01]Mississippi National Guard troops armed with M-16 rifles and automatic weapons have taken up post around Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in an effort to beef up security around the state.

Members of the 112th Military Police Battalion out of Brandon arrived late Thursday at the facility in rural Claiborne County. Gov. Ronnie Musgrove had signed an order earlier this week authorizing the Guard to provide extra security.

“The National Guard is providing an adequate number of personnel to provide a secure environment around the facility,” said Lt. Col. Tim Powell. “The exact number of soldiers is part of our security measures.”

Since Sept. 11, security at Grand Gulf has been on high alert with armed guards manning the entrance. The National Guard personnel will be used to supplement that security, which will include patrols around the perimeter.

Guardsmen have also been on duty since Oct. 5 manning checkpoints at airports in Jackson, Tupelo, Columbus, Hattiesburg-Laurel, Gulfport, Meridian and Greenville.

“At this point we don’t anticipate any additional security needs,” Powell said.

In a statement Wednesday, Musgrove said the additional security measures were added because of, “credible threats regarding the security of public utilities.” No specific threat against Grand Gulf or any other public utility has been made public.

The most recent terrorist warning came from the FBI Thursday that bridges in eight western states may be targets. No warnings have been issued concerning any bridges in Mississippi, according to a spokesman for the FBI in Washington D.C.

Warren Strain, a spokesman for the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol, said that there was no need for extra safety precautions at the Interstate 20 Mississippi River bridge at this time, but that troopers will continue to check the span on routine patrols.

“We don’t have any intelligence that would lead us to believe that (the bridge) would be a target,” Strain said. “We’re in constant contact with the FBI and the State Department.”

Across the river, Louisiana Highway Patrol spokesman Cam Douglas said they do not have the personnel to man the I-20 bridge constantly, but will also continue to check it during routine patrols.

“When the notice first came out, we sent troopers over and checked it out,” Douglas said. “We going to have to check the bridge as best as we can right now.”

While officials said there are no credible threats against any Mississippi bridges, an object was discovered Friday under the Natchez Trace bridge over I-20 in Clinton that appeared to be an explosive device.

FBI bomb technicians and the Jackson Police Department Bomb Squad disabled the device and determined that it was a hoax.

The object, lying against a bridge support, was discovered by a Clinton Police officer around 12:50 p.m.

Separately, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is also calling on emergency agencies in 59 counties to remain on high alert due to the number of cases involving suspicious mail or suspicious substances. Since Oct. 18, 494 reports have been received statewide including reports in Warren and Claiborne counties. None were determined to be harmful.

Vicksburg Fire Chief Kevin Westbrook said a strange, white powder was reported at City Hall Annex Wednesday. The powder turned out to be dry wall dust. Westbrook said his department has been responding to an average of 15 calls per day concerning suspicious substances. None of the substances have turned out to be dangerous, he said.