A SHARP WARNING – AT 8:29 A.M. ET:  The tenth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks is les than two months off.  Al Qaeda may choose to mark it in its own stylish way:

US officials fear al-Qaida will attempt a massive September 11 anniversary attack by sabotaging a major utility facility with the use of insiders that the terrorist organization has successfully planted in such facilities, a US intelligence report released on Wednesday states.

ABC quoted the new US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report as warning that violent extremists have obtained such insider positions and are planning physical and cyber attacks at a major facility, including a chemical or oil refinery.

"Based on the reliable reporting of previous incidents, we have high confidence in our judgment that insiders and their actions pose a significant threat to the infrastructure and information systems of US facilities," the report reads. "Past events and reporting also provide high confidence in our judgment that insider information on sites, infrastructure, networks, and personnel is valuable to our adversaries and may increase the impact of any attack on the utilities infrastructure."

Although the US State Department says no specific threat exists, materials recovered during the operation that killed Osama bin Laden in May suggest that al-Qaida seeks to carry out an attack on or around the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

COMMENT:  Question:  If these insiders at American facilities have been detected, why are they still there?  It's pretty clear from this report that the screening procedures used in hiring people for sensitive facilities needs to be examined and strenghened. 

It's logical that Al Qaeda will want to mark the 10th anniversary of its handiwork.  Every citizen should be asked to be on alert.

July 21, 2011