Citing "credible intelligence from multiple sources", US Attorney General Mr John Ashcroft warned Americans yesterday that al-Qaeda was almost ready to "hit the United States hard" in the next few months.
The targets could be the G8 summit in Georgia in June or the Democratic and Republican conventions in Boston and New York, Mr Ashcroft said at a joint press conference with FBI Director Mr Robert Mueller in Washington.
Mr Mueller asked Americans to be on the look-out for seven named individuals, one a US citizen, each of whom he said "is known to have the desire and the ability to attack the United States". The FBI director also requested public co-operation "as we launch a nation-wide series of interviews" to gather intelligence co-ordinated by a newly-formed "2004 Threat Task Force".
He indicated that Muslim and Middle Eastern communities would be targeted for interviews, saying, "we will be seeking intelligence about persons who have moved into the community recently without any roots." The FBI was embarrassed by revelations yesterday that it caused a man in Portland, Oregon to be arrested and held on the "100 per cent certainty" that his fingerprint matched that of a terror suspect in Spain, only to have to release him when Spanish authorities showed they were mistaken.
Despite the nature of the warnings, New York Police Commissioner, Mr Raymond Kelly, said there was nothing in regular intelligence reporting he received "to indicate a specific threat or looming attack against New York City." Earlier, Homeland Security Secretary Mr Tom Ridge said there was "no consensus within the administration that we need to raise the threat level".
Asked if Mr Ridge's comment suggested a difference of opinion, Mr Ashcroft said: "I believe we're all on the same page." Some police and fire union officials who support Democrat presidential candidate Mr John Kerry suggested that the timing of Mr Ashcroft's warning was suspicious because of polls showing a low approval rating for Mr Bush. White House press secretary Mr Scott McClellan denied this, saying, "the president believes it's very important to share information appropriately".
Mr Mueller displayed enlarged photographs of the suspects, whose whereabouts he said were unknown. They include Mr Adnan El Shukrijumah, a Saudi native who once lived in Florida; Ms Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman who studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Mr Amer El-Maati, a Canadian pilot who could fly a Canadian plane into the US; Mr Adam Yahie Gadahn, a US citizen and a translator for al-Qaeda; Mr Abderrouf Udey, a Canadian citizen; Mr Fazul Abdullah Mohammed; and Mr Ahmed Khalfan Gailani.
Mr Ashcroft said the intelligence, together with recent public statements attributed to al-Qaeda, suggested that it was almost ready to attack the US. "This disturbing intelligence indicates al-Qaeda's specific intention to hit the United States hard," Mr Ashcroft said. The seven people being sought "all present a clear and present danger to America. All should be considered armed and dangerous".