WASHINGTON, Dec 19: US authorities are concerned by the volume of terrorist threats to US interests at home and overseas, especially over the coming holiday period, officials said on Friday.

But counter-terrorism officials dismissed a report that there was credible information pointing to a possible imminent strike against New York City.

“We are in a heightened threat environment but the notion that there’s an imminent threat — specific, credible information pointing to an imminent threat in New York — is not correct,” said one official, who asked not to be named.

ABC News, on its Web site, had quoted unnamed US intelligence sources as saying they had received information about a “credible and imminent threat to New York City” possibly by a female suicide bomber.

In New York, police said they knew of no credible threat to the city, site of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center by hijacked airliners.

In Washington, the White House spokesman said warnings had been sent to security personnel around the country urging extra vigilance during the holiday season.

Christmas is celebrated next week, the Jewish Hanukkah festival begins on Friday and preparations are under way for celebrations marking the new year.

“We have remained concerned about the volume of reporting of threats and that is why the Department of Homeland Security has sent out several bulletins over the past few weeks to homeland security officials and law enforcement personnel, urging all to continue be on heightened state of alert especially as we enter the busy holiday season,” spokesman Scott McClellan said.—Reuters