FBI warns of possible US shopping mall attacks

WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (Reuters) An FBI report warned al Qaeda may be planning to strike shopping malls in Chicago and Los Angeles during the Christmas season, but a bureau official said today there was no information it was a credible threat.

ABC News first disclosed portions of the report that was based on intelligence received by the FBI in late September.

The report said al Qaeda hoped to disrupt the US economy and had been planning the attack for the past two years.

The document, called an intelligence information report, was intended for law enforcement and the intelligence community, FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said.

''In the post-9/11 era, sharing information is our top priority,'' Kolko said. ''Al Qaeda messaging has clearly stated they intend to attack the US or it interests; however, there is no information to state this is a credible threat.'' The FBI said in the report that the veracity of the information was uncertain and had been obtained through ''a lengthy chain'' of sources.

Another FBI official said similar alerts have been issued in the past warning of threats around the holidays.

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