Terror Warnings on the Upswing

Glossed over by most media outlets, so you have to look to the international reports:

• 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.

Pretty standard stuff, part of the regularly schedule reminders surrounding 9/11. They issue warnings regularly every year under all administrations.

With some differences though (a little less reliable site here):

• ...terrorists are preparing to impersonate first responders by purchasing police and EMT uniforms from surplus stores and online vendors.

  She said the aim is to blend in during attacks, redirect panicked crowds, and launch secondary strikes.

  More chillingly, Loomer reported that hospitals and medical facilities in major cities — including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Miami — have been scouted. 

  Terrorists allegedly intend to cripple trauma centers and emergency rooms, preventing treatment of the wounded and compounding casualties, she said.

That's at the far end of the spectrum there, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.

Stay alert.