US National Counterterrorism Center warns of threat from al Qaeda

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. National Counterterrorism Center said on Friday that recent calls by al Qaeda for attacks against the United States showed the group’s enduring threat to the country.

Al Qaeda and its Yemen-based affiliate, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) “are likely seeking to leverage their media publications and global conflicts, particularly where there is U.S. support or military involvement, to inspire potential attackers,” it said in a memo to law enforcement.

The memo urged government officials to avoid surveillance, to not post or publicly share details about travel plans, schedules and locations, and to remove badges and other forms of identification outside of work.

It also warned of potential threats to targets that draw large crowd