Northeast Banks Get Terror Warning
Fri Apr 19,11:00 PM ET
By TED BRIDIS, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - The FBI publicly warned more than 1,200 banks in the Northeast on Friday of possible terrorist attacks, and government officials said the unconfirmed information that led to the dramatic alert came in part from a high-ranking al-Qaida leader in U.S. custody.
Authorities cautioned that they had no information about a specific plot or threats to any financial institution, but a U.S. law enforcement source said authorities feared a suicide attack. Another senior official said the threat was not specified.
The warning of what the FBI described as possible "physical attacks" was based in part on information from Abu Zubaydah, the highest-ranking al-Qaida terrorist leader in U.S. custody, two officials said, but it was unclear if he was telling the truth. Officials suggested he could be lying in an effort to create a panic.
