Iraqi PM: ISIS Plans Subway Attack in US

American officials downplay threat
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 25, 2014 3:49 PM CDT
Iraqi PM: ISIS Plans Subway Attack in US
President Obama meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi at the United Nations headquarters Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

While speaking to reporters at the UN today, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Ibadi made some news that seemed to catch everybody off guard: He said he had "credible" evidence that ISIS was planning subway attacks in the US and Paris, reports Reuters. US security officials quoted on and off the record by Reuters, NBC News, the AP, and others said it was the first they were hearing about it and generally downplayed the remarks. One senior intelligence official called it "total bunk."

The Iraqi leader, however, sounded pretty sure of himself and said the information came from captured militants. "They plan to have attacks in the metros of Paris and the US," he said. "I asked for more credible information. I asked for names. I asked for details, for cities, you know, dates. And from the details I have received, yes, it looks credible." He didn't specify any American cities. In New York today, Mayor de Blasio said the NYPD looked into the comments and found "no specific credible threat," reports CNN. (More Islamic State stories.)

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