Al-Qaeda considered oil tankers as terror targets

The FBI and Homeland Security Department are telling law enforcement around the country that al—Qaeda was considering plots to hijack oil tankers in non—Muslim waters and blow them up, according to an intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press.

A Palestinian vendor stands next to a photo of late Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, at his shop in the West Bank town of Jenin. File photo: AP.

The U.S. government says al—Qaeda was eyeing oil tankers abroad last year as potential targets of terror attacks to hurt the economies of Western countries.

The FBI and Homeland Security Department are telling law enforcement around the country that al—Qaeda was considering plots to hijack oil tankers in non—Muslim waters and blow them up, according to an intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press.

There is no intelligence pointing to a specific plot or threat.

It was not immediately clear whether the details about the attack method were coming from Osama bin Laden’s compound.

U.S. intelligence officials are sifting through a treasure trove of information coming out of materials taken from the former terror leader’s hideout in Pakistan earlier this month after he was shot and killed by Navy SEALs.