The Hindu : FBI warns of 'spectacular' Al Qaeda attack

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 16, 2002

International

International

FBI warns of 'spectacular' Al Qaeda attack

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

New York Nov.15. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned that the Al Qaeda may be planning a ``spectacular'' attack against the United States that may target the economy, inflict large-scale casualties and have tremendous psychological impact.

But the White House has said that the Government is not planning to raise the alert status, which remains at Code Yellow, at an elevated risk but at the middle of a five-scale level. ``We continue to be on high levels of alert, we continue to take additional precautions,'' the White House Spokesman, Scott McClellan, said.

The FBI's latest warning is being taken very seriously partly because of the dire language, seen as somewhat unusual in many quarters. ``Sources suggest Al Qaeda may favour spectacular attacks that meets several criteria: high symbolic value, mass casualties, severe damage to the U.S. economy and maximum psychological trauma,'' the FBI alert says.

Intelligence agencies in the U.S. have been on a high state of alert over the last several months; and especially so in the past few days after an audio tape reportedly featuring Osama bin Laden's voice surfaced. Officially nothing is said about the authenticity of the voice on the tape but unnamed senior officials with access to intelligence matters are said to be convinced that the voice is indeed that of bin Laden. Law enforcement and intelligence officials have been apprehensive because of an increased level of ``chatter'' picked up in a variety of intelligence channels; and this is being seen in a pattern that takes place prior to a major terrorist attack.

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