Obama notified of threat of possible attacks in three U.S. cities over the holidays

Baku. 31 December. REPORT.AZ/ Before President Barack Obama left for his Hawaii vacation, his top security officials briefed him about a threat, originating from overseas, of possible attacks in the cities of New York, Los Angeles and Washington between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, according to senior U.S. officials briefed on the matter, Report informs referring to the Russian TASS.

The officials said the threat was uncorroborated and was based on a single source, and it didn’t mention specific locations in the cities. But they said they are always concerned about “soft targets” such as large gatherings and mass transit systems.

In the wake of attacks in Paris, San Bernardino, California, and elsewhere, the FBI is boosting the number of agents and staff in some of its 24-hour command centers around the country, including in New York, Washington and Los Angeles.

About 6,000 police officers will fan out around Times Square for the annual New Year’s Eve celebration there, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said.

“We are not aware of any threat at this time that we deem credible,” he said.

Among the tools the police will use to guard against would-be criminals or terrorists: cops on helicopters and boats, hundreds of additional mobile cameras, and radiation detectors, a grim reminder of the threats posed by terrorist organizations from around the world. In addition, hundreds of officers will carry rifles, said James O’Neill, a top police official in New York.

“We are ready,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said this week. He called New York “the best prepared city in the country to prevent terrorism and to deal with any event should it occur.”