Law Enforcement Secure
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has advised federal agencies to initiate emergency counterterrorism measures to prevent possible al-Qaida car bombings planned during the last days of the Muslim holiday Ramadan, according to an internal department memo as reported by WorldNetDaily.
Citing al-Qaida’s “increasingly sophisticated” car-bombing tactics, it recommends security guards and officers tow all vehicles parked illegally in and around government facilities, if their owners cannot be identified, and inspect the undercarriage and other areas of vehicles entering sensitive areas, among other high-threat protective measures.
Al-Qaida could also target “liquid natural gas, chemical or petrochemical sites near major population centers using multiple vehicle-born improvised explosive devices similar to those recently seen in the attacks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Istanbul, Turkey,” warns the internal department advisory titled, “Continued al-Qaida Threats Abroad and in the Homeland.”
Marked “For Official Use Only,” the memo was distributed Friday. “This advisory is intended to raise the security awareness of the recipients based on recent terrorist attacks overseas and information suggesting al-Qaida continues to plan attacks against U.S. targets.”
It notes there has been at least one major terrorist attack resulting in substantial casualties each week over the past several weeks, coinciding with Ramadan. “These bombings, coupled with public proclamations regarding al-Qaida’s intentions to target Western interests, heighten our concern that a threat against the U.S. homeland and U.S. interests abroad continues,” the document states.
The Homeland Security memo warns that al-Qaida might launch attacks “near the end of Ramadan (Nov. 24-27),” which happens to coincide this year with the Thanksgiving holiday.
Behind the scenes, the DHS has directed federal and state law enforcement, as well as security personnel, to initiate protective measures under its highest threat level - red - a condition when there is an imminent risk of terrorist attacks.
Homeland Security officials insist they have no specific threat. Indeed, the department memo states: “We have no tactical information identifying timing, targets, tactics or locations for these operations.” However, it goes on to say that “recent information” and attacks reflect “al-Qaida’s desire to repeat a mass casualty attack and/or strike major political and symbolic and economic targets” in America.
The document expresses concern over al-Qaida’s “increasingly refined capability and sophisticated tactic” in carrying out car-bomb attacks. Among examples, it cites the terror group’s new “ramming tactic to gain access to the target” and the use of “innocuous-looking vehicles,” such as “a food catering truck which was detonated by a suicide bomber as it rammed the British consulate.”
It recommends U.S. security personnel and law enforcement take additional protective measures to thwart car-bomb attacks, including:
- “Consider adjusting buffer zone further [sic] from targets.”
- “Increase the number of visible security personnel wherever possible.”
- “Rearrange exterior vehicle barriers, traffic cones and road blocks to alter traffic patterns near facilities and monitored by alert security forces.”
- “Institute/increase vehicle, foot and roving security patrols varying in size, timing and routes.”
- “Limit the number of access points and strictly enforce access control procedures.”
- “Deploy explosive-detection devices and explosive-detection canine teams.”
- “Review surveillance tapes (if available) for indicators of suspicious activity.”
Source: WorldNetDaily; Emergency.com