FBI highlights attacks risk

THE arrest of alleged al-Qaida operations chief Khalid Shaikh Mohammed could speed up terrorist attacks in the US that are in the planning stages, the FBI has warned.

The latest of the weekly FBI memos to 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies said Mohammed’s capture “deals a severe long-term blow” to al-Qaida’s ability to carry out attacks.

“However, in the short term, the apprehension may accelerate execution of any operational planning already under way, as operatives seek to carry out attacks before the information obtained through Mohammed’s capture can be used to undermine operational security,” the bulletin said.