Iraqi PM: ISIL Plotting to Attack US, France
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iraq has received "credible" intelligence that the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) terrorist group plans to attack subway systems in Paris and in the US, Iraq's prime minister warned.
However, American and French officials say they have no evidence to back up Haider al-Abbadi's claim, Al Jazeera reported.
Abbadi's comments were met with surprise and cautious skepticism by security, intelligence and transit officials in both countries.
He said his government had received the information on Thursday morning from fighters captured in Iraq and concluded it was credible after asking for further details.
The attacks, he said, were plotted from inside Iraq by "networks" of the ISIL.
"They plan to have attacks in the metros of Paris and the US," Abbadi told a small group of US reporters while in New York for the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly. 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."
Abbadi did not provide any further details.
However, Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser to US President Barack Obama, said the US had "not confirmed any specific threat".
"What we have consistently said to the Iraqis is if they have information that is relevant to terrorist activity or terrorist plotting, that they can and should share that through our intelligence and law enforcement challenges," Rhodes, who was travelling with Obama on Air Force One from New York, said.
"We would certainly take seriously any information they are learning."
French security services also said they had no information confirming Abbadi's statement, a French government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Associated Press said that several French officials contacted told the news agency that they were aware of no plot.
