U.S. Authorities are evaluating a surge of information related to possible terrorist threats to a number of cities in the United States, including New York City, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Threat information is coming from intelligence intercepts, interrogation of recent detainees and other methods, intelligence sources say.
Intelligence and law enforcement officials are currently evaluating the threat information.
These threats are very similar to those made on an overseas al-Qaeda website in early November.
Sources say the threat to New York City possibly involves a female suicide bomber, but no specific target has been identified. Intelligence sources are still evaluating the credibility of this threat.
In the threats received for other cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., no mode of attack has been identified and no location or specific cells were named.
Senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security, intelligence and law enforcement have a planned meeting for Monday to evaluate the recent surge in information related to possible terror threats.
Officials around the nation were already actively engaged in serious discussions with the Department of Homeland Security about whether events, chatter, and the time of year warrant elevating the threat level inside the United States to orange for the upcoming holiday season.
Police1 sent a similar warning on Nov. 5 after an overseas al-Qaeda website posted a vague warning to Muslims to leave three large U.S. metropolitan areas because of implied imminent terrorist attacks, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute.
“Our Muslim brothers in America, we ask you to immediately leave the following cities: Washington, D.C., New York, and Los Angeles,” reads the communiqué, which also quoted the Quran.
“We are serious in our warning,” the message states. “The next few days will prove to you the truth of this warning ... To the oppressive rulers of America we say: Expect our terms following the first strike of Allah’s believing soldiers [Quran, Chapter 59, Verse 2-3].”
Police1 will continue to follow this story and send any updates with any new information.
Source: ABC News; EmergencyNet Priority Level (1 = Lowest, 5 = Highest) - National Level 3
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