Federal authorities have sent bulletins to law enforcement officials in several states, warning that Al Qaeda may be planning terror attacks on the day before the election. CBS and Reuters reported Friday that U.S. officials believe that New York, Texas, and Virginia are potential targets for Islamic violence, and they are asking police in those states to be alert in case the chatter turns out to be more than idle talk.
In a statement, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said his officials were keeping a close eye on the developing news. “Texans should go about their daily lives as usual, but remain vigilant over the next several days and report any suspicious activity,” Abbott said.
One New York official told Reuters that counterterrorism experts were still evaluating the threat to see if the states named were actual targets or red herrings meant to distract from the real plot.
“Another possibility is that this is just an attempt to inspire someone here to mount an attack,” he said.
The U.S. has not specifically confirmed the threats, but a senior FBI official told CBS News that law enforcement agencies across the country would be prepared for anything.
“The counterterrorism and homeland security communities remain vigilant and well-postured to defend against attacks here in the United States,” the official said. “The FBI, working with our federal, state and local counterparts, shares and assesses intelligence on a daily basis and will continue to work closely with law enforcement and intelligence community partners to identify and disrupt any potential threat to public safety.”
Hopefully, these threats will not materialize, but the warning itself should serve as a clear reminder of what’s at stake on election day.
As a country, we seem to have a Dory-like memory when it comes to terrorism. And, of course, it doesn’t help that we have a president who tries to convince us that there’s no such thing as violent jihad. Homophobic nutjobs? Sure. Disgruntled workers? Oh, certainly. Angry, disaffected youth? Yeah, they’re out there. But while all of these sickos happen to be Muslim, we’re to believe that their motivations are far too complex to ever fully understand.
One of the two candidates on the ballot promises to keep the Obama legacy alive as it pertains to Islamic terrorism. The other promises to finally address the evil that Democrats pretend doesn’t exist.
Let’s use the ballot box to send our own warning to those who want to bring violence, destruction, and Sharia law to the United States. Let’s send a loud, clear message to ISIS, Al Qaeda, and all forms of radical Islam: Your time is up.
