Former CIA Targeting Officer and Senior Advisor to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Benghazi Sarah Adams asserts in a LinkedIn post that a large-scale terrorist operation targeting the U.S. has been underway since December 2021, led by Hamza bin Laden (not killed in 2019 as stated by the U.S. government and now al-Qaeda’s Emir) with support from his brothers (Abdullah, Saad, Uthman) and Saif al-Adel. The plot reportedly aims to position all attackers in the U.S. by mid-December for coordinated strikes.
Three-Pronged Attack Plan:
- Aviation attacks using advanced hidden bombs (Bojinka-style operations)
- Mumbai-style assault targeting Washington, D.C., with hostage-taking
- Mass casualty urban attacks hitting soft targets like churches, hospitals, malls, and transit systems nationwide
The plan allegedly involves mixed multinational cells (5-10 people each) drawing from multiple terrorist organizations (ISIS, AQAP, Al-Shabaab, Taliban, etc.). Adams states the New Orleans attacker Jabbar was part of one such cell, not a lone wolf.
While she acknowledges the merit of the National Counterterrorism Center’s (NCTC) Memo for Law Enforcement and First Responders – titled “Al-Qa‘ida’s Recent Calls to Conduct Attacks in the US Highlights Its Enduring Threat to Public Safety” – and their acknowledgement of an al-Qaeda homeland plot, she does point out that they omitted key facts, such as what was set in motion in 2021.
In her post, Adams warns this represents an unprecedented scale of terrorist coordination targeting the U.S. homeland, criticizes current counterterrorism strategies as inadequate, and urges immediate preparation at all levels rather than waiting for official warnings or specific dates.
Click here for the NCTC’s press release, “NCTC Supports U.S. Law Enforcement, First Responders by Sharing Intel Product Aimed at Deterring Attacks by Al-Qa’ida.” Read Adams’ full post here.