WASHINGTON/KABUL (REUTERS) — U.S. officials warned Monday that fresh attacks by militant groups could be imminent, even as the nation’s military considered a new strategy to roust Osama bin Laden and his Taliban protectors from their strongholds in Afghanistan.
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft gave no details but said intelligence sources had warned of unspecified possible attacks against the United States and its interests “over the next week.”
Another official, speaking on the condition that he not be identified, said the threat was “most likely” linked to bin Laden’s al Qaeda network.
“We have notified law enforcement to continue on highest alert,” Ashcroft said. An Ashcroft warning soon after the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington that killed 4,800 people resulted in nothing.
Shortly after Monday’s announcement, an American Airlines Boeing 757 en route from New York to Dallas was diverted to Dulles International Airport outside Washington, where it landed safely and passengers were evacuated, because a threat was received, an airport spokeswoman said. She said she had no further details.
Ashcroft’s advisory added to national worries about the progress of the war on terrorism declared by President Bush soon after the attacks, which the U.S. believes were masterminded from an Afghanistan hideout by bin Laden, a Saudi-born militant.
A relentless air war on Afghanistan, aimed at capturing or killing bin Laden, has produced few clear results and now, according to Pentagon sources, may be moving into a new phase in which U.S. commandos open an Afghanistan ground base to attack their stubborn foes.
American Airlines flight evacuated after threat
An American Airlines Boeing 757 en route from New York to Dallas was diverted on Monday to Dulles International Airport because of a threat, transportation officials said.
Federal authorities were investigating the unscheduled landing after a passenger found what was described as a suspicious note, according to spokesmen for the regional airport authority and airline.
“American Airlines Flight 785, en route from La Guardia to Dallas-Fort Worth, had an emergency in flight. The flight was diverted to Dulles,” said Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokeswoman Tara Hamilton. It landed at 7:46 p.m. EST.
“Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft,” Hamilton said. They exited the plane by emergency chutes.
“The FBI is on the scene and is checking it out,” she added.
Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown said the jumbo jet, carrying 141 passengers and a crew of eight, landed safely and was evacuated because of the threat. Brown gave no additional details.
Though no one was injured, the incident raised concern in light of the alert issued just hours earlier from Attorney General John Ashcroft, warning anew of possible terrorist attacks against the U.S. or U.S. interests in the coming week.
Ashcroft said the administration had “credible” information of a possible future attack, but he could not be specific about the type of attack or targets.
Gus Whitcomb, a spokesman for American Airlines, said the plane was diverted to Washington as a precaution after a passenger discovered a “suspicious note” on board the aircraft. In a prerecorded message on an airline information line, Whitcomb said passengers were being interviewed by authorities.
The incident disrupted airport traffic, causing delays and backups after two of Dulles’ three runways were closed, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesman Tom Sullivan told Reuters. The runways were reopened at 9:15 p.m. EST, Sullivan said.
The passengers evacuated from Flight 785 to a “safe, secure location,” Sullivan added. “They’re going to try to get them on another flight to Dallas sometime tonight.”