US warns airlines of al-Qaida hijack bids

THE Department of Homeland Security has told airlines and law enforcement agencies that al-Qaida may attempt new suicide hijackings some time in the next few months.

The vague warning came from information gleaned from interviews of at least one al-Qaida prisoner as well as intercepted communications, said one intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The information was obtained in the last few weeks.

“We continue to investigate this information to determine its level of credibility,” said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security.