U.S. warns on small planes, but says no plots known
Be careful out there!
Washington (CNN) — U.S. officials say terrorists could try to use small aircraft in attacks, but have no specific information that such a plot is in the works, according to a new notice distributed by federal officials.
“Violent extremists with knowledge of general aviation and access to small planes pose a significant potential threat to the Homeland,” according to an intelligence bulletin issued by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.
But according to the alert, U.S. officials “do not have current, credible information or intelligence of an imminent attack being planned against aviation” by al Qaeda or its affiliates.
In the alert, which was obtained by CNN, officials say as recently as early 2011, al Qaeda was considering options for targeting aviation “possibly believing such operations would have a greater impact than other types of attacks.” Among the strategies al Qaeda members have discussed are using a private aircraft to carry explosives, finding a Western operative who could easily travel to the United States or Europe to get flight training or renting private planes for attacks, “believing supervision would be lax due to the large number of private aircraft.”