ABC News reports today that American and German security agencies have gone on high alert for a terrorist attack. The target -- US military personnel or the German tourist industry:
U.S. and German officials fear terrorists are in the advanced planning stages of an attack on U.S. military personnel or tourists in Germany.Law enforcement officials tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com that U.S. air marshals have been diverted to provide expanded protection of flights between Germany and the United States.
"The information behind the threat is very real," a senior U.S. official told ABC News.
German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schauble told reporters, "The danger level is high. We are part of the global threat by Islamist terrorism."
Of particular concern, according to U.S. and German law enforcement officials, is Patch Barracks, the headquarters for U.S. European Command, near Stuttgart.
This is an unusual warning, both in its existence and its specificity. Alert levels go up occasionally, depending on the intel received, but it's rare to hear about the potential targets. This sounds like the Americans and Germans have very specific and reliable intel about a particular cell, and that they have begun to close it down. That kind of action can prompt terrorists to immediately attack when they lose up-channel communication, which may be what prompted this warning.
It could also be a false positive, a way in which terrorists can check their networks. They may be conducting a mole hunt, and the reaction could assist them in clearing their six.
Intel is a tough business, and the fact that terrorists have not been able to stage an attack on American interests outside of Iraq shows that our side has done a pretty good job. They only need to be good once, though, and hopefully this isn't the time.
Embedded in Fox Alert:
But U.S. officials confirmed to FOX News that the threat is not new and dates back to an April 20 warning issued by the U.S. Embassy in Germany regarding unspecified threats to U.S. interests and/or Americans in that country.
Bump.