NEW YORK (voa) - U.S. intelligence officials say they have intercepted a series of troubling communications between al-Qaida operatives that indicate the terrorist organization is planning an operation that is as big or bigger than the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
The Sunday edition of The New York Times and CNN news quotes U.S. intelligence officials as saying the messages they have intercepted over the last few months are vague do not point to any detailed plans. FBI officials issued a statement Saturday saying potential attacks could target U.S. apartment buildings.
The Times report quotes senior U.S. officials as saying the amount of intelligence about another attack in the United States, Europe or the Arabian Peninsula has increased in the past month. The newspaper quotes a U.S. official as saying there is "just a lot of chatter in the system again."
The newspaper says U.S. authorities believe the intercepts are some of the most credible intelligence they have received about al-Qaida's intentions since September 11. The report says U.S. officials have found that vague communications are often the most reliable threat warnings.
The Bush administration is facing criticism about its handling of pre-September 11 intelligence information. The New York Times says the White House and intelligence officials have made significant changes in how they deal with terrorist threats but are still left taking defensive measures to combat vague warnings.
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