The mastermind behind the terror plot announced yesterday was the man who filled Osama bin Laden’s shoes as al Qaeda’s new No. 1: Ayman al-Zawahiri.
In early August, Zawahiri personally recruited three terrorists to travel to the United States to perpetrate a string of car-bomb attacks on Washington, D.C., and New York City to coincide with the 10th anniversary of 9/11, according to high-ranking sources in the counterintelligence community who spoke with The Daily on condition of anonymity.
After arriving in the United States, the three plotters “may have met up with a small cell or other suspects,” the sources said.
Officials said they are acting on unverified intelligence from a single, “credible source.”
All three operatives speak fluent English. Two are believed to be American citizens, one of Egyptian descent and one of Yemeni descent, according to sources.
Zawahiri coordinated with Afghan Taliban to help smuggle the three Arab operatives to launch a string of attacks “in the U.S. and possibly Europe.”
They were instructed to carry out a car bomb-like attack in New York or Washington, but also were told “to be flexible in their attack,” sources said.
In August, the two alleged American operatives flew from Turkey to Iran, sources said. From there they traveled to the tribal region of Pakistan, where they met up with a third operative and traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan. In Kabul they “dropped and swapped” passports and other identification. After splitting up, the two Americans flew to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, while the third operative flew to Europe. All three reunited in the United States in early September.
Despite specifics about travel, officials said they do not know exactly whom they are looking for. No names were provided.
The plot comes soon after bin Laden’s death in early May. On May 6, al Qaeda acknowledged his death and vowed revenge, saying: “Soon, God willing, their happiness will turn to sadness. Their blood will be mingled with their tears.”
Asked about the plot this morning, Vice President Joe Biden told “Good Morning America” that there was “no smoking gun” thus far.
“We do have talk about using a car bomb. We’ve been told that was an intention ... from a credible source,” Biden said. “But we do not have confirmation of that.”
Nevertheless, in response to the threat, security already has tightened in New York City and Washington. Traffic slowed to a crawl in Manhattan as police officers set up checkpoints and inspected trucks and other vehicles. New York City police stood guard at subway and train stations. In D.C., police officers were placed on 12-hour shifts indefinitely.