Carol Cratty and Pam Benson
CNN
Washington — U.S. officials say they have no specific and credible information about planned terror attacks on the United States, but they have issued an intelligence bulletin to state and local law enforcement warning terrorists could target large crowds at holiday gatherings.
The Department of Homeland Security and FBI issued an intelligence bulletin Wednesday to encourage law enforcement agencies to be watchful.
“Terrorists may seek to exploit the likely significant psychological impact of an attack targeting mass gatherings in large metropolitan areas during the 2010 holiday season which has symbolic importance to many in the United States,” the bulletin says, a copy of which was obtained by CNN. “We continue to assess, however, the timing of a terrorist attack depends more on terrorists’ readiness to execute an attack rather than a desire to attack on a specific date.”
The law enforcement notice was intended to reach only state and local law enforcement groups. It suggests various tactics to counter any possible attack by terrorists who might have improvised explosive devices or small arms. Those suggestions include installing barriers to separate vehicles from crowds and posting added security people in areas where large numbers of people gather.
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