MOBILE DEVICES
Free Headline Alerts     
Worldwide Web WorldTribune.com

  breaking... 


Friday, December 24, 2010     INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

U.S. intelligence focused on 'smaller-scale' attacks by Al Qaida over holidays

WASHINGTON — Officials said the U.S. intelligence community has assessed that Al Qaida leadership seeks to disrupt the Christmas and New Year's holiday by ordering attacks on Western and American interests in Europe and in the United States.

ShareThis

"What we have seen recently is an increased focus, I think, on the part of terrorist groups to try to carry out some of these smaller-scale attacks," White House counter-insurgency adviser John Brennan said. "And so we are staying very focused on our ability to detect those types of attacks and stop them whether or not they're by individuals or they're part of a larger organizational effort."

On Dec. 23, Rome was struck by at least two bombings that targeted foreign embassies, Middle East Newsline reported. Two people were injured in the attacks on the Swiss and Chilean missions, attributed to anarchist cells.


Also In This Edition

"Greece, Italy and Spain have seen the presence of anarcho-insurrectionalist groups that are tightly linked," Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said. "They are very violent."

In the White House briefing, Brennan said Al Qaida could target aviation and rail transport in the United States. He said the intelligence community was cooperating in the collection and dissemination of CI data.

"So, we have that strategic warning," Brennan said. "We're not going to wait for a tactical warning. Were going to be poised every day to respond."

A year ago, Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula sought to down a U.S. passenger jet from Europe. The alleged bomber, a Nigerian, was captured when his bomb failed to detonate.

"We've degraded their capabilities," Brennan said on Dec. 22. "We've degraded their training capabilities and ability to plot and to move operatives."



About Us     l    Privacy     l    Geostrategy-Direct.com     l    East-Asia-Intel.com
Copyright © 2010    East West Services, Inc.    All rights reserved.