The Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, speaking with journalists on the sideline of a meeting of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly, told the group that he was informed by officials in the country’s intelligence services that they uncovered an imminent attack on the subways of both Paris and New York.
Iraqi Prime Minister on the plot to bomb subways In Paris, US
When asked if the plot, believed to the the work of ISIS or Islamic State, had been thwarted by he responded with a simple, “no.”
Before and following the attacks on London’s subways system, the subways of the world have been viewed has high-priority targets by law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and terrorists alike.
The randomness of attacking subways is truly terrifying to patrons and just thinking about potential attacks is terrorism personified.
With 303 stations, and a daily ridership of over four million each day, the Paris Metro is Europe’s second largest after Moscow.
The New York City subway system has well over 400 stations and sees a weekday ridership of over 5.5 million.
An attack on either would cripple the cities’ transportation hub and cause numerous deaths if carried out successfully. The recent beheading of French tourist in Algeria shows that ISIS enjoys support outside the land it controls that is currently under air attacks from both France and the United States.
Update: Direct quote
Reuters is reporting the now reporting the transcript of the conversation with journalists.
“Today, while I am here, I am receiving accurate reports from Baghdad where there was (the) arrest of (a) few elements and there are networks planning from inside Iraq to have attacks,” he told a small group of U.S. reporters.
‘They plan to have attacks in the metros of Paris and the U.S.,’ he added. ‘From the details I have received, yes it looks credible.’
