SPRINGFIELD - State government was on elevated alert Thursday in the wake of the foiled London terrorist plot.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich issued a statement saying he'd learned of the planned attacks Wednesday.

"Since then, we have been in constant communication with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. While no locations in Illinois are known to be targets, we continue to monitor the situation closely," Blagojevich said.

Patti Thompson, spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, said the state has made an offer to the federal government to help if needed.

As of Thursday morning, however, there was no change anticipated in how the state monitors and addresses potential terrorist acts.

"At this point, everyone is on alert," said Thompson. "Certainly everything is at a much higher level of awareness."

Blagojevich urged travelers to give themselves extra time for delays at airports and to immediately report any suspicious activities to local authorities.

Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 782-1249.