New York: Iraq has received “credible” intelligence that Islamic State militants plan to attack subway systems in Paris and the United States, Iraq’s prime minister said on Thursday, but senior U.S. officials said they had no evidence to back up the claim.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said he had received the information Thursday morning from militants captured in Iraq and concluded it was credible after asking for further details. The attacks, he said, were plotted from inside Iraq by “networks” of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
“They plan to have attacks in the metros of Paris and the US,” Abadi told a small group of US reporters while in New York for the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly. “I asked for more credible information. I asked for names. I asked for details, for cities, you know, dates. And from the details I have received, yes, it looks credible.”
National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said the White House had not confirmed any plan to attack the US and French subway systems. “We have not confirmed such a plot, and would have to review any information from our Iraqi partners before making further determinations,” she said.
Two senior US security officials, contacted following the comments from Abadi, said the United States had no information to support the threat.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said authorities had already begun to beef up security at New York City’s mass transit sites before Abadi’s comments. The New York City Police Department said it was aware of the prime minister’s warning and in close contact with the FBI and other agencies to assess the threat.
There had been no credible threats made against Washington DC’s rail and bus system, Washington Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said in an email.
Full article: Iraqi PM says Islamic State plans subway attacks in US and Paris (The Age)
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