WASHINGTON, July 8: Al Qaeda is planning a large-scale terrorist attack on the United States in an "effort to disrupt our democratic process," Secretary of the Homeland Security Tom Ridge warned on Thursday.
"Since September 11, 2001, we have had intelligence that Al Qaeda intends to launch more attacks against the homeland," Mr Ridge told reporters here. "Credible reporting now indicates that Al Qaeda is moving forward with its plans to carry out a large-scale attack in the United States in an effort to disrupt our democratic process," he said.
"Based on the attack in Madrid and recent interdictions in England, Jordan and Italy, we know that they have the capability to succeed and hold the mistaken belief that their attacks will have an impact on America's resolve," Mr Ridge said.
"We lack precise knowledge about time, place and method of attack," Mr Ridge added. "But along with the CIA, FBI and other agencies, we are actively working to gain that knowledge."
Mr Ridge made note of the upcoming Democratic and Republican national conventions. "I have designated these events National Special Security Events, making the United States Secret Service the lead agency for identifying and implementing protective efforts in these locations.
I will soon travel to those sites myself to review the security measures being implemented," he added. The Democratic Party's national convention is to be held in Boston July 26-29, while President George W. Bush's Republican Party is to hold its convention in New York Aug 30-Sept 2, ahead of the Nov 2 US presidential election.
Mr Ridge said the colour-coded threat warning system used by his department would remain at its current level of yellow, or "elevated," which warns of a "significant" threat of terrorist attack.
Top Al Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Abu Mussab Al Zarqawi are "planning, overseeing terrorist activities on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border," a high-ranking intelligence official said, adding that "Al Qaeda is well known for its very careful preparedness and meticulous organization." "They do a lot of pre-operational activities," the official said. -AFP
