Feds Find No Credible Terror Threats for Holiday

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December 14, 2006 4:03 PM

As the height of the holiday season approaches, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security say there are no known credible terrorist attacks in the making inside the United States, but crowded stores and New Year's celebrations remain attractive targets.

This was a key finding of a "Holiday Season Security Awareness" bulletin circulated Wednesday and obtained by ABCNews.com

"DHS and the FBI currently have no credible intelligence that terrorist organizations are planning attacks against the Homeland during the holiday period," the bulletin stated. "Attacks overseas and disrupted plots abroad continue to suggest a focus on attacks against lightly-defended targets or facilities with lower security profiles. We continue to urge vigilance during the holiday period and ask law enforcement and security personnel to report suspicious activity."

The report cited the Dec. 6 FBI arrest of Derrick Shareef on charges of plotting to detonate hand grenades at an Illinois shopping mall during the holiday season as a reminder of the potential threat.

In a separate security report, the Department of Homeland Security Infrastructure Threat and Risk Analysis Center noted a continued interest on the part of al Qaeda in attacking a national monument or icon. The world-renowned Statue of Liberty and Washington Monument continue to be at the top of that terror wish list, that report said.

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"DHS lacks credible, specific evidence suggesting any terrorist group currently is targeting national monuments and icons (NMI) assets," the strategic sector assessment report said.

"Nonethess, al-Qa'ida remains a serious threat and desires another strike in the United States. An attack against NMI assets (National Monuments and Icons) meet its targeting strategy of causing mass casualties and economic and psychological damage and would further its strategic goals."

One of a series of sector analyses produced regularly by the Department of Homeland Security, the report notes that "other extremist groups and homegrown Islamic radicals whose views are informed and inspired by, but not necessarily linked to, al-Qa'ida also are a threat to the sector."

"Two sector assets, the Statue of Liberty and the Washington Monument, have featured prominently in detainee and threat reporting."

National monuments and landmarks make a uniquely attractive target, the report said, because they attract large crowds, have symbolic value and allow relatively easy access.

"The NMI sector is unique because of the diverse values its assets represent. The most devastating attack against a particular NMI target would likely cause mass casualties and destroy the symbolic structure. Even a less severe attack, however, would undermine the great value placed in an austere and unblemished monument or icon, especially those that symbolize freedom and safety."