Ridge Says Al-Qaeda Planning “Large-Scale Attack”

By Joe Fiorill
Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON — Al-Qaeda is planning a “large-scale attack” in the United States in a possible bid to affect the November presidential election, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said here today.

The secretary said the Homeland Security Department is not raising its color-coded threat level ― currently set at yellow, or “elevated” ― and that today’s announcement was part of a series of “periodic” updates to the U.S. public about the terrorist threat.

“Credible reporting now indicates that al-Qaeda is moving forward with its plans to carry out a large-scale attack in the United States in an effort to disrupt our democratic process,” the secretary told reporters at the department’s headquarters.

“These are pieces of information that we can trace comfortably to sources that we believe to be credible,” Ridge said.

The Democratic Party convention is scheduled for later this month in Boston, and the Republican Party plans to hold its convention beginning late next month in New York. Ridge, who has designated the conventions as “national special security events,” said he planned to visit the two cities soon to review security measures (see GSN, July 6).

Ridge said the United States has no detailed information about attack plans but is “actively working to gain that knowledge.” He said there is no specific intelligence indicating al-Qaeda plans to target the conventions.

The March 11 train attack in Madrid and discoveries made by authorities in recent interdiction operations in Italy, Jordan and the United Kingdom have shown that al-Qaeda is capable of carrying out large attacks, Ridge said.

“Not only did they have the individuals in place, but they had the means to the end,” said the secretary. Al-Qaeda, he said, had the “munitions and ability to conduct the terrorist attack.”

“We live in serious times, and this is sobering information about those who wish to do us harm, but every day, we strengthen the security of our nation, and as a nation, we are committed to the absolute protection of our citizens,” Ridge said.

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