After Ret. Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney warned on Saturday that America might be witness to another terror attack on the 13th anniversary of Sept. 11, U.S. intelligence has confirmed an increase of chatter among Islamist terror networks, current and former U.S. officials told The Blaze. Adding to the danger is an ongoing battle for supremacy between Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Increase in threats, similar to those that occurred ahead of previous 9/11 anniversaries, have been observed by intelligence agencies.
"We've noticed a significant increase in chatter among Islamic terrorist organizations overseas, both on the Internet and phone lines," said a U.S. government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter. "This is certainly concerning, but as of yet we can't pinpoint what or if they are planning a particular attack. We did see this kind of increase in chatter before the September 11 attacks. We just hope the public continues to remain vigilant."
Additionally, the falling out of Al Qaeda and ISIS earlier this year and their competition for dominance is posing another major threat to the United States.
While "core" Al Qaeda is led by Ayman al-Zawahri, who is fighting to maintain leadership with Muslim followers from his base in Pakistan, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who has recently gained prominence on a global scale with young Muslims due to his brutal tactics, is leading the Islamic State after defying orders from Zawahri.
"The threat is two-fold because ISIS is in war with core Al Qaeda," former CIA case officer Brian Fairchild said. "ISIS was kicked out of Al Qaeda in February, and they've been fighting each other internally for leadership. ISIS is winning right now. They have captured the imagination of young Muslims from around the world and depriving Al Qaeda of its own fighters. Al Qaeda is split down the middle, and now you have 9/11 [anniversary approaching]. It would be beneficial to both camps that on 9/11, some great attack in the United States takes place. It's certainly a serious consideration because they are both vying for primacy."
Fairchild, who ran clandestine operations in seven CIA stations around the world and most recently served in Afghanistan in 2012, told The Blaze that even though there is no way to say with certainty whether terror groups will strike on 9/11, there is enough intelligence to suggest the Islamic State and Al Qaeda are attempting to do so.
Referring to an email sent by the Islamic State to the parents of journalist James Foley a week before the video of his execution was released, Fairchild claimed that the letter was actually a declaration of war on America.
"A message to the American government and their sheep-like citizens: We have left you alone since your disgraceful defeat in Iraq. We did not interfere in your country or attack your citizens while they were safe in their homes despite our capability to do so," the letter said. "You do not spare our weak, elderly, women or children so we will NOT spare yours! You and your citizens will pay the price of your bombings."
"If you look at that letter and you put it all that together, you realize that this beheading was a staged and managed situation," Fairchild said. "That communication was all part of the stage-managed deal, and they justify it because they said since you killed our weak, elderly and children...Foley is now the first casualty, and the second will be America. What's concerning is if Baghdadi wants to maintain his current position as leader, he has to follow through with his threats."
Meanwhile, as many as 300 Americans are reportedly fighting alongside the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, with thousands more joining from Europe, reports have indicated.
"The group's leaders have talked openly about fighting the United States, and its ambitions to attack the West may be growing in conjunction with ISIL's territorial expansion," a U.S. intelligence official told The Blaze.
