Fourth of JulyDHS urges greater vigilance for Independence Day, but no threats

As Americans across the United States prepare to celebrate the nation’s birth on 4 July, DHS is urging law enforcement agencies and individuals to remain vigilant.

In its latest Security Awareness bulletin, DHS is careful to note that there is no “specific or credible information” that al Qaeda is planning an attack, but did say that al Qaeda had aspired to execute attacks on the symbolic holiday.

The bulleting states, “As of February 2010, al Qaeda was contemplating large attacks in the homeland on symbolic dates and specifically identified U.S. Independence Day as a key date.”

“We currently have no specific credible information that any plotting targeting the homeland was developed based on this reporting and are uncertain how widely al Qaeda’s interest in timing attacks for symbolic dates has been shared or accepted within the group or among its affiliates and allies,” it continued.

Officials say no evidence has been unearthed in the data retrieved from the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound to indicate an imminent threat, but are concerned that a lone wolf will seek to execute an attack in retaliation.

In particular the bulletin warns that large congregations like those in major cities to watch the fireworks display are “especially attractive targets during the holiday season.”

“Such targets offer the opportunity to inflict mass casualties, with the added objectives of causing economic and psychological damage on the United States.”

The report notes that aside from aspirations attacks are primarily constrained by operational capacity and al Qaeda will execute an attack when it is ready regardless if it occurs during a holiday or not.