Homeland Security memo warns: Terror attacks at all time high, and will likely get worse By Michael Sheridan DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Thursday, May 27th 2010, 8:06 AM
Platt/GettyPolice stand guard in a New York City subway station. According to a Homeland Security memo obtained by CNN, terror attacks in the United States are at an all-time high, and could get worse. Related NewsSept. 11 memorial construction can be seen in vivid detailTantaros: Obama's listless federal governmentArizona governor creates legal defense fund for immigration lawLouis: The timid, bitter 'new' Dem Party9/11 health bill finally gets Senate panel hearingAttempted terror attacks in the United States are on the rise, and it's only going to get worse, Homeland Security warns.
CNN reported on Thursday that an unclassified intelligence memo states "the number and pace of attempted attacks against the United States over the past nine months have surpassed the number of attempts during any other previous one-year period."
Terror organizations will also target the United States with "increased frequency," the memo warned.
Dated May 21, the document obtained by CNN was created for law enforcement groups throughout the country.
"We have to operate under the premise that other operatives are in the country and could advance plotting with little or no warning," it said.
Noted in the memo are the recent attempts to attack New York City, including the failed Times Square car bombing and Najibullah Zazi's alleged plot to blow up the city's subways.
Future attacks will be more challenging to stop or prevent because operatives will likely be more ingrained in our society and be able to develop weapons with commonly available items which are more difficult to track, the memo went on to state.
It also warns that possible terrorists would likely spend less time overseas "compared to lengthier training cycles for earlier operations, reducing our ability to detect their activities."
Tehrik e-Taliban Pakistan, the terrorist group which is believed to have had a hand in the attempted Times Square attack, as well as ties to Al Qaeda, was mentioned in the memo.
Future terrorists will likely opt for "smaller, more achievable attacks against easily accessible targets" then trying for big, high-profile targets, the memo warned.
The report comes as the Obama administration makes the threat of homegrown extremism an integral part of its security policy, according to AFP.
msheridan@nydailynews.com
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