NEW YORK, Nov 27: The New York City was placed on high security alert on Thursday, the day about 3.5 million people from all parts of United States converge in the city to witness the traditional Macy’s thanksgiving day parade.

The Mayor of New York City, Mr Michael Bloomberg, received reports of potential terrorism threat, even before the news broke about the Mumbai terror attacks.

“Just today, we dealt with an unsubstantiated report of potential terrorism here in New York. This report led the New York Police Department to take precautionary steps to protect our transit system, and we will always do whatever is necessary to keep our city safe,” Mr Bloomberg said in a statement.

Earlier, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security had warned that there was a “possible but uncorroborated” Al Qaeda threat against the New York transportation system.

Mr Bloomberg said he would be joining the Indian-American community at a prayer service for the victims of the Mumbai attacks at the Ganesha temple in Queens.

New Yorkers, including the hundreds of thousands who trace their roots to that part of the world, stand together and reject the depraved methods of the terrorists, he said.