ABC News’ Martha Raddatz and Jonathan Karl report:

On the day that almost two dozen U.S. embassies and consulates across North Africa and the Middle East are closed following the identification of a significant threat from an al-Qaeda affiliate, a senior U.S. official is providing new details about the communications intercepted from the terrorists, telling ABC News that al-Qaeda operatives could be heard talking about an upcoming attack.

The official described the terrorists as saying the planned attack is “going to be big” and “strategically significant.”

“The part that is alarming is the confidence they showed while communicating and the air of certainty,” the official said, adding that the group — Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula — appeared to have a media plan for after the attack.

Authorities do not know the exact target of the planned attack, according to the official.

“We do not know whether they mean an embassy, an airbase, an aircraft, trains,” the official said.
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The official also said authorities were stunned that the group broke “operational security” — meaning they talked likely knowing it would be picked up by intercepts.

ABC News reported Thursday that embassies across the Middle East and North Africa - including those in Egypt, Iraq and Kuwait – would close today because of “a specific threat against a U.S. embassy or consulate.”

The next day, the State Department issued a global travel warning to all U.S. citizens around the world, alerting them to the “continued potential for terrorist attacks.”

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/201...ly-significant/

Is this for real or a distraction for Obama to have a respite from all the "phony" scandals? I sure hope it doesn't interfere with his golf outings.

@ Olivia

Zitat

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Is this for real or a distraction for Obama to have a respite from all the "phony" scandals? I sure hope it doesn't interfere with his golf outings.

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Considering the track record of the government this is one of the questions that ran through my head.
Others were 'what happened to terrorism, except for' domestic' terrorism is dead'. 'what are they distracting us from this time', and 'are they trying to justify massive intrusions into our privacy in the name of necessary for national security'?