NEW TERROR THREAT – AT 8:40 P.M. ET:  This should not come as a total shock, as the same terror method has been used throughout Europe and in Israel for years.  But now a major terror group wants us to get our share.  From the New York Daily News:

WASHINGTON - The terror group tied to the Ft. Hood killings and the Christmas Day undies airbomber urge wannabe American jihadis to open fire on crowded restaurants in the nation's capital to massacre U.S. government workers.

The advice appears in "Inspire," the latest issue of a slick propaganda publication by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Osama Bin Laden's franchise in Yemen.

"A random hit at a crowded restaurant in Washington, D.C., at lunch hour might end up knocking out a few government employees," Yahya Ibrahim writes in the 74-page jihadi how-to magazine.

"Targeting such employees is paramount and the location would also give the operation additional media attention," Ibrahim added.

Other trash talk came from "Samir Khan," an American who came to AQAP from North Carolina, who produces the publication and wrote that he is "proud to be a traitor in America's eyes."

"This guy is bad news, and given the fact that he helps publish AQAP trash, he certainly spreads a lot of it around, too," said a senior U.S. official.

COMMENT:  Should be taken very seriously.  These small operations can be carried out by one man with a suicide belt.  The result of a successful attack would be sheer terror in Washington, and the need for retail establishments to hire security guards, a commonplace in Israel. 

And, of course, Yahya Ibrahim is right - you get a lot of press in Washington.

We have been generally lucky so far, with exceptions like the horror at Fort Hood.  We won't be lucky forever.

October 12, 2010