Bin Laden Communication Termed “Credible, But Not Specific”
Police1 Alert
The Department of Homeland Security has issued a classified bulletin to law enforcement officials about intelligence obtained by the CIA over the past several weeks. The intelligence was classified as “credible but not specific.”
According to several news sources, including the Associated Press and New York Times, bin Laden has been in contact with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda’s top operative in Iraq, within the past two months in an effort to enlist him in attacks outside of Iraq and possibly on U.S. soil.
Although officials have no immediate plans to raise the terrorism alert level, law enforcement should be aware that the intelligence exists and underscores bin Laden’s continuing focus on striking the U.S. According to officials, it “reiterates the desire by al-Qaeda and its associates to target the homeland.” Police1 urges that officers continue to be vigilant in preparing against potential attacks.
As quoted in the New York Times, Brian Roehrkasse, a Homeland Security Department spokesman said, “We provided a classified bulletin to state homeland security advisers based on nonspecific credible threat reporting the intelligence community has received. Although this information is not specific, we do take it seriously.”