U.S. intelligence agencies warn of possible al Qaeda attack Monday

American intelligence agencies are seriously assessing the credibility of a potential terror threat, government sources told CBS in a report published Friday. The information available so far indicates that al Qaeda, the terrorist group responsible for the 9/11 attacks, may be planning a strike in New York, Texas, or Virginia.

Though federal law enforcement agents are investigating, they emphasized to CBS that this report is by no means confirmed and Monday may well pass without incident.

"The counterterrorism and homeland security communities remain vigilant and well-postured to defend against attacks here in the United States," the FBI said in a vague statement responding to the news Friday. "The FBI, working with our federal, state and local counterparts, shares and assesses intelligence on a daily basis and will continue to work closely with law enforcement and intelligence community partners to identify and disrupt any potential threat to public safety." The Department of Homeland Security ignored a request for further comment from Reuters.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up