WASHINGTON - The CIA fears that Al Qaeda is planning at least two large-scale attacks against American targets by mid-February or at the outset of war with Iraq, the Daily News has learned. The terrorist strikes - which may coincide with the end of the hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca - could include the use of a radioactive "dirty" bomb or chemical and biological weapons, the CIA has determined.
Federal terrorism officials have been warned that "Al Qaeda is organizing a 'new' type of attack that will surprise the United States."
Specific targets are not known, but U.S. officials have discovered plots against the homeland and Saudi Arabia, the warning said.
The CIA's alert said Osama Bin Laden's thugs may attempt strikes that "potentially could involve a radiological dispersal device," combining major assaults with "smaller attacks at multiple places around the world."
It cited "multiple reliable reports" that Al Qaeda is "ready to trigger" new attacks.
U.S. embassies have noted an increase in surveillance of their facilities and Al Qaeda sympathizers are preparing a possible assault on the American consulate in Lahore, Pakistan, as soon as next week, according to the new warning.
The new information comes from Al Qaeda detainees and surveillance of terrorist suspects.
Asked about reports of possible terrorism following the hajj, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer yesterday said the federal government was taking the threats seriously.
"With the convergence of information that comes in, the quality of the information and the upcoming hajj, this becomes relevant information that gets reviewed," Fleischer said. "Historically, we have seen an increase in reporting that coincides with certain holiday periods."
An FBI spokesman confirmed that the bureau has drafted a bulletin for law enforcement officials that likely will include fresh information about Al Qaeda's latest plots.
The State Department reminded Americans yesterday to remain vigilant due to a heightened threat of terrorist actions.
The Daily News reported last week that intelligence authorities were monitoring Iraqi spies crossing the Canadian border to stir up anti-war protests.
