U.S. Intelligence Looking Into Attack Threats Before Election
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NEW YORK (CBSMiami) -- U.S. intelligence has reportedly alerted joint terrorism task forces that al Qaeda could be planning attacks in three states for Monday, the day before the election.
It is believed New York, Texas and Virginia are all possible targets.
U.S. authorities are taking the threat seriously while still assessing the credibility of the intelligence.
Law enforcement officials said the threats came from al Qaeda but the information provided no specific targets for possible attacks in those states.
As the election day approaches, federal law enforcement is planning for several worst case scenarios. Earlier this week, an alert to local police agencies warned of "polling places" being seen as "attractive targets" for "lone wolf" type attacks by individuals motivated by violent extremist ideologies.
A senior FBI official says the bureau is working closely with federal, state and local agencies to disrupt and identify potential threats.
It is not unusual for there to be an increase in the volume of threats leading up to significant events like holidays or even an election. Officials say it's important to investigate those threats thoroughly.
