US warns of 9/11 replay by summer end

NEW DELHI: Terrorists attacks similar to the 9/11-style hijackings could be carried out in the United States and Britain by the end of this summer, the US government has warned.
A copy of an advisory from the US Department of Homeland Security warned that terrorists may use five-men teams to take over airplanes just after takeoff or before landing and crash them into buildings, media reports said on Thursday.
However, officials said the credibility of the threat was still being evaluated. But they noted there was no precise information on when or where exactly such an attack could take place.
The Department of Homeland Security warned that US east coast, Italy and Australia are also at risk.
The alert - issued after the interrogation of an al-Qaeda prisoner - sent shockwaves across America as details of a cutback on air marshals were revealed, reports said.
It is feared hijackers could try to trick passengers into staying calm - by making them believe they are on a hostage mission. To beat security, items such as cameras could be used as weapons.
Reports quoting FBI officials said that terrorists might use toys packed with explosives after suspiciously altered items were seized in a raid.
Meanwhile, amid these threats, the US Transportation Security Administration plans to reduce the number of air marshals in a bid to save money.
The TSA is seeking approval from Congress to cut $104 million from the air marshal program to help offset a $900 million budget shortfall. It''s unclear how many of the estimated several thousand air marshal jobs would be affected, reports said.