(Newswire.net — February 23, 2015) — Somalia’s al-Qaida-linked rebel group al-Shabab urged Muslims to attack shopping malls in the US, Canada, Britain and other Western countries, reported the AP, however, US authorities said there was “no credible” evidence suggesting that malls in the US are in any danger.
“We are aware of a threatening video which includes images of the mall,” said The Mall of America in a statement. Considering this as an empty threat, nonetheless they say extra security had been put in place.
More than an hour-long video released Saturday in the US and other western countries shows terrorists urging Muslim extremists to attack shopping malls across the US countries. An attack occuren in a mall in Kenya in September 2013, where terrorists assaulted the Westgate Mall in Nairobi killing 67 people.
Among the other locations, the video showed masked members of the al-Shabab calling on Muslims to attack the Mall of America in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, as well as the West Edmonton Mall in Canada and the Westfield mall in Stratford, England.
Reportedly, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security provided relevant information regarding the recent al-Shabab propaganda video, however, the authenticity of the video was not yet verified, the Associated Press reported.
“We are not aware of any specific, credible plot against the Mall of America or any other domestic commercial shopping center,” DHS press secretary Marsha Catron said in a statement.
Security Secretary Jeh Johnson called the video “the new phase” of the global terrorist threat and warned the public to be vigilant.
“These groups are relying more and more on independent actors to become inspired, drawn to the cause and they’ll attack on their own,” Johnson said, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“I am very concerned about serious potential threats of independent actors here in the United States. We’ve seen this now in Europe, we’ve seen this in Canada.”
Johnson told CNN’s morning news that any time a terrorist organization calls for an attack on a specific place Americans have to take that seriously and to be vigilant.
“There will be enhanced security there that will be apparent, but public vigilance, public awareness and public caution in situations like this is particularly important,” he said.