WASHINGTON – Al-Qaida may attempt to launch attacks in U.S. cities using helicopters or rented limousines packed with explosives as weapons, the FBI said in two nationwide bulletins.
Terror operatives could attempt to hijack commercial, charter or tourist helicopter flights and use them in suicide attacks against buildings, parades or sporting events, said one of the intelligence bulletins.
Helicopters and limousines could help terrorists get closer to targeted buildings, the FBI warnings said. The warnings were sent Friday night by the FBI and the Homeland Security Department to 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies, other government officials and private groups.
The other bulletin warns that al-Qaida has frequently used rented cars and trucks for bomb attacks in the past – including the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center – and may do so again.
Limousines, the FBI said, could be especially useful to terrorists because they are larger than regular cars and might draw less suspicion than trucks.
On the helicopter leads, the FBI says it has information that indicates al-Qaida operatives have considered using helicopters packed with explosives in an unspecified attack.
Helicopters might also be used to spread chemical or biological agents in the ventilation systems of high-rise buildings, the FBI bulletin said.
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