Manhattan Federal Court Judge Robert Sweet had barred cops last week from conducting blanket bag searches in the absence of a "specific threat."

In his new order, Sweet wrote cops could search protesters' bags in the presence of simply "a threat" - explaining they would need to have probable cause.

On Friday, the NYPD's point man on terrorism, David Cohen, said in an affidavit that police needed to have discretion to conduct blanket bag searches in the face of credible information that Al Qaeda was planning to attack the United States in the coming months.

"While it may not be possible to check bags at every event, given the logistics of the event itself, or even to check all bags at a single large event ... it is my professional opinion that the ability to conduct blanket bag inspections would greatly reduce the risk to the public at that event and would be prudent given the credible risk to public safety supported by present intelligence," Cohen said.

City attorneys and cops were busy poring over the reworded decision last night and reserved comment.

A call to the New York Civil Liberties Union was not immediately returned. The civil rights group had challenged the idea of blanket searches at protests.

Mayor Bloomberg had vowed to appeal Sweet's restrictions on the searches, saying the judge "could not be more wrong."

As part of his order, Sweet granted the city a 10-day stay of the bag search policy to permit the appeal.