Secret sources reveal new terror targets

By ALAN PERROTT AND AGENCIES

The FBI has found evidence of more al Qaeda terrorist cells in the United States and believes they are likely to strike again within days.

The agency and President George W. Bush yesterday issued firm warnings about the possibility of fresh attacks.

They would not give details.

But two of Americas's most authoritative newspapers, the Washington Post and the New York Times, gave an outline of the evidence, citing intelligence sources.

The Post report by Bob Woodward, who with Carl Bernstein broke news of the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s, said the FBI, the CIA and foreign security agencies had gleaned information from electronic eavesdropping which pointed to a renewed threat.

Among targets cited by the Post were the US Embassy in Moscow and an American facility in Italy, as well as targets on the US mainland.

A senior intelligence official told the paper: "This is the real deal."

He said US intelligence had reports of terrorists promising a new attack "that would be bigger than the September 11 assaults".

But he also warned that the claims could be "hyperbole".

The New York Times said the intercepted information included evidence of al Qaeda cells inside the United States that had not been uncovered by authorities hunting those responsible for the bombings of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

President Bush was briefed yesterday on the threats by FBI director Robert Mueller and Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Later, Mr Bush urged Americans to go about their business as usual.

"But I also want to encourage them by telling them their Government is on full alert," he said.

"And that alert put out today from the Justice Department was such an action.

"While the threat is ongoing, we are taking every possible step to protect our country."

The FBI said: "Certain information, while not specific to target, gives the Government reason to believe there may be additional terrorist attacks within the United States and against US interests overseas over the next few days.

"The FBI has again alerted all local law enforcement to be on the highest alert, and we call on all people to immediately notify the FBI and local law enforcement of any unusual or suspicious activity."



It also warned of the need for heightened awareness of the "potential use of chemical/biological and/or radiological/nuclear weapons of mass destruction".

The FBI has issued six warnings since September 11, but this is the first time it has given an explicit time frame.

Police throughout America are already at their highest state of readiness after the FBI recommended boosting security around water supplies, nuclear power plants and main Government buildings.

The security cordon has been in place since America and its allies began bombing Afghanistan to force it to hand over Osama bin Laden, whom they hold responsible for the New York and Washington attacks.

Yesterday, President Bush gave the leaders of the Taleban regime in Afghanistan a second chance to hand him over.

"If you cough [bin Laden] and his people up today, we will reconsider what we're doing to your country," he said.

Washington DC police chief Charles Ramsey said his officers were particularly concerned about prominent Government buildings such as the State Department and the House and Senate office buildings alongside the Capitol.

The Senate yesterday voted unanimously to increase security on commercial flights.

Aircraft will carry armed marshals, cockpit doors will be fortified and flight crews will receive extra anti-hijacking training.

Passengers will be charged a $US2.50 fee to pay for the changes.

President Bush said the military campaign against the Taleban that began on Sunday was paying off.

"We are dismantling their military, disrupting their communications, severing their ability to defend themselves, and slowly but surely we're smoking al Qaeda out of their caves so we can bring them to justice."

Full coverage: Terror in America

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