World News U.S. warns of potential al-Qaeda bomb attacks

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WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. authorities have warned of potential al-Qaeda bombing attacks on prominent financial institutions in New York, Washington and Newark, N.J., prompting increased security and concern from the unusually detailed information unearthed on the plot.

"The quality of this intelligence, based on multiple reporting streams in multiple locations, is rarely seen, and it is alarming in both the amount and specificity of the information," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Aug. 1.

A cache of information - including photos, drawings and written documents - indicates that al-Qaeda operatives have undertaken meticulous preparations to case five buildings: The Citigroup Center building and the New York Stock Exchange in New York; the International Monetary Fund and World Bank buildings in Washington; and Prudential Financial Inc.'s headquarters in Newark.

The government has, however, since acknowledged that most of the intelligence concerning these potential attacks was amassed as far back as 2000 and 2001. Nevertheless it has proceeded to raise the terrorist threat level for financial institutions in the three cities to orange, or high alert, the second-highest level on the government's five-point spectrum.

Officials have sealed off some streets in New York, put financial employees in Washington through extra security checks and added concrete barriers and a heavily armed presence in Newark.

米、アルカイダのテロ攻撃を警告

米当局は、新たに明らかにされた計画の詳細から、首都ワシントンやニューヨーク市、ニュージャージー州北部の著名な金融機関に対するアルカイダのテロ攻撃を警告し、セキュリティー強化を促した。

Shukan ST: Aug. 13, 2004

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