U.S. authorities investigate 'specific, credible' terror threat

[News_Editor]

U.S. authorities investigate 'specific, credible' terror threat

2011-09-09 07:19:24 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- U.S. federal authorities are investigating a 'specific and credible' terror threat to the U.S. homeland surrounding the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, officials said on Thursday evening.

"As we know from the intelligence gathered from the Osama bin Laden raid, al-Qaeda has shown an interest in important dates and anniversaries, such as 9/11," said Matt Chandler, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "In this instance, it's accurate that there is specific, credible but unconfirmed threat information."

Chandler said the U.S. government expects more intelligence reporting in the coming days, similar to other important anniversaries. "Sometimes this reporting is credible and warrants intense focus, other times it lacks credibility and is highly unlikely to be reflective of real plots underway," he said. "Regardless, we take all threat reporting seriously, and we have taken, and will continue to take all steps necessary to mitigate any threats that arise. We continue to ask the American people to remain vigilant as we head into the weekend."

Although Chandler gave no specific details, law enforcement sources have told ABC News that at least three individuals have entered the United States by air in August with the intent to launch a car bomb attack.

Additionally, Fox News reported that the threat - apparently tied to al-Qaeda - would target New York City or Washington, D.C. NBC New York said the possible threat, which reportedly emerged from Pakistan or Afghanistan, involves car bombs as well as bridges and tunnels.

U.S. President Barack Obama and members of the U.S. Congress were briefed about the threat on Thursday, an indication that intelligence agencies are taking the threat seriously. Sources told CNN that officials are "strongly concerned" about the information.

"The President was briefed on this specific threat information this morning and has been updated on it throughout the day," a White House official told BNO News. "The United States Government has already significantly enhanced its security posture in advance of the 9/11 anniversary to protect the country against possible terrorist threats. Nevertheless, the President directed the counterterrorism community to redouble its efforts in response to this credible but unconfirmed information."

It was not immediately clear when U.S. officials first learned about the threat, but the news represents a sudden change from previous statements just days ago when U.S. officials insisted there was no credible intelligence that al-Qaeda or its affiliates were plotting a 9/11 anniversary attack.

On September 11, 2001, nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four passenger planes before crashing two of them into the World Trade Center in New York and another into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The fourth, United Flight 93, crashed into a field in Stonycreek Township near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people were killed.

Earlier this week, Pakistan announced it arrested senior al-Qaeda member Younis Al Mauritani. According to Pakistani officials, Al Mauritani was mainly responsible for planning international operations and had been personally tasked by the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to focus on hitting targets of economical importance in the United States, Europe and Australia.

Bin Laden was killed in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad on May 1st by special U.S. forces during a secret operation.

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