Mayor Michael Bloomberg stressed at a Homeland Security Advisory Council meeting in Midtown today that the city needs more anti-terror funding to match its high risk levels of terrorism.

During the meeting, which was hosted by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, the mayor said that the city continues to be a major terrorism target and needs a larger portion of the department’s funding.

“Despite the great job that all of our first responders do, we certainly think of ourselves as being in the crosshairs,” said Bloomberg. “I challenge the department to continue to work to devise homeland security funding formulas and take this fact into higher consideration. Commissioner Kelly and I have been to Washington, [D.C.] a number of times to urge the federal government to distribute funding solely on threat levels. National security is a national responsibility and we can’t afford to let local politics get in the way. And trying to spread the money around as pork is just irresponsible, at the very least.”

He also requested that federal officials restore funding for the “Securing The Cities” initiative, which would set up ring of sensors around the city to protect from a dirty bomb attack.

Napolitano did not address the mayor’s concerns, but rather addressed general topics, like the need to work with faith-based organizations.

“We face an enemy whose desire to attack us here at home has not diminished, nor do we expect it to diminish anytime soon,” she said.

No one at the meeting mentioned the decision to move the trials of the September 11th terror suspects from Lower Manhattan. Officials in President Barack Obama’s administration have only said that they are considering their options.

Attorney General Eric Holder will be in the city on Friday to accept an award from Columbia Law School, but it is not yet known whether he will address the terror trials.

Today’s meeting came on the heels of a warning from intelligence directors that al-Qaida is poised to attempt an attack on the United States within the next three to six months.

CIA Director Leon Panetta told Congress the group is deploying operatives – including so-called “clean recruits” with minimal terrorist ties and training – to the U.S. to carry out attacks.

Panetta said al-Qaida is also working to inspire homegrown extremists to trigger violence on their own.

The director of national intelligence said stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan can help reduce long term threats from the region.

“So the challenge is clear, first reversing this Taliban momentum while holding onto security gains elsewhere,” Panetta said. “Second, improving Afghan security forces, governance, economic capabilities so that as security gains are made they can endure, and responsibilities can be turned over to the Afghans themselves.”

The annual terror assessment highlights the growing concern that al-Qaida is increasingly relying on harder-to-detect militants who can use simple devices to carry out hastily planned attacks.

(Source: NY1)