Federal and New York City officials have received credible intelligence that al-Qaeda has been plotting to carry out suicide attacks on corporations based in New York City and northern New Jersey.
Sources at several law enforcement agencies indicate that an “overseas source” has provided the information about the threat to New York and that it is more significant than the usual “chatter” intercepted from likely terrorists that has prompted warnings in the past.
Officials from dozens of local and federal agencies met into the night Friday and again Saturday morning.
“Intelligence reporting indicates that al-Qaeda continues to target for attack commercial and financial institutions, as well as international organizations, inside the United States,” the New York City Police Department said in a statement released today on the “ongoing al-Qaeda threat.”
“The NYPD recommends that corporate and institutional security directors review their protection of HVAC systems, parking installations, and security in general,” the statement added. “The alert level for New York City remains unchanged at ‘orange’ or ‘high.’”
The statement also recommends companies post security at the fresh-air intake in heating, ventilation and air conditioning rooms, if they are accessible to the public, and keep the rooms locked. Maintenance workers should be challenged when maintenance has not been requested, and companies should watch for unexpected deliveries. All alarm system should be tested, including those on rooftop doors.
Border Worries:
Intelligence sources say al-Qaeda plans to move non-Arab terrorists across the border with Mexico.
Authorities already have in custody a woman of Pakistani-origin, Farida Goolam Mohamed Ahmed, after she entered the United States from Mexico. She was arrested in Texas July 19 and carried a South African passport with several of the pages torn out, $7,000 in cash and an airplane ticket to New York.
According to officials, the woman was believed to have been on a terrorist watch list and may have been sent as “a courier” to pass along either a message or documentation to someone in the United States.
A law enforcement official in New York said, “the concern was that she may be part of a team” planning attacks in the city.
New York is already on heightened alert for the Republican National Convention, which meets at Madison Square Garden in late August and will bring thousands of high government officials to town.
Wall Street firms may be among the targeted U.S. corporations based in New York City. Which corporations or how many may be targeted has not been revealed.
Suicide Truck Bombings:
Particularly disturbing to authorities were the intelligence reports that the attack may involve one or more suicide truck bombings, a tactic never seen in the United States, but one widely used by terrorists elsewhere.
Law enforcement officials acknowledge such bombings are extremely difficult to prevent.
As to the timing of any planned attack, sources say it could take place between now and Election Day in November.
As the government tries to verify the reports of the threat, there are no plans to raise the national threat level, according to senior Bush administration officials.
Source: CNN; NY Times; ERRI-6; ABC News