Homeland Security Secretary says State Fair is "soft target" for terrorists

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will be in Iowa today. Ridge is scheduled to speak at a Des Moines insurance company this afternoon, but he also asked State Fair officials if he could stop at the fairgrounds and review security for the event. The State Fair is just one of the so-called “soft targets” officials are keeping their eye on – places like shopping malls and big hotels that cater to lots of civilians. Dave Miller, Iowa’s interim Homeland Security advisor, says his office is continually updating its list of potential terror targets. For example, the new Jordan Creek Mall west of Des Moines was just added.Federal officials recently uncovered a plot to attack a shopping mall in Ohio, and while Miller says there’s never been a threat uncovered that involved Iowa, it’s still important for folks here to be vigilant.Miller recently visited The Jordan Creek Mall, and Miller says he found plenty of security personnel on duty. He says the same will be true for the Iowa State Fair, which starts Thursday.