NEW YORK (AP) _ The United States “cannot afford to live in fear, sacrifice our values, or pull back from the world” over terrorism concerns, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said in remarks prepared for a Manhattan speech on Friday.

“We are determined not to let the specter of terrorism darken the national character that has always been America’s greatest asset,” Clinton said in excerpts released prior to her speech at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her visit comes amid heightened security due to a terror threat, just before the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. The United Nations is holding a conference on terrorism on Sept. 19.

“Before 9/11, the Commission found, America did not adapt quickly enough to new and different kinds of threats. It is imperative that we not make that mistake again,” she said. “...While we have significantly weakened al-Qaida’s core leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan, today we are reminded that they can still conduct regional and international attacks and inspire others to do so.”

An Associated Press review has found that at least 35,000 people worldwide have been convicted as terrorists and 120,000 arrested in the decade since the Sept. 11 attacks.

The United States has helped other countries pass tougher anti-terrorism laws and track down militants, but some groups are worried that many countries are using the fight against terror to crack down on political dissidents.

U.S. counterterrorism officials on Friday were chasing a credible but unconfirmed al-Qaida threat to set off a car bomb on bridges or tunnels in New York City or Washington.