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Feds fear for another independent terrorist attack during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday

By C. J. Refsland on June 29, 2013 • ( 0 )

Law enforcement officials across the U.S. were warned Friday to be on the lookout for a possible terrorist attack during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.

The notice was issued in a ‘Roll Call Release’ by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, and obtained by ABC News.

While officials said there weren’t any credible threats tied to the holiday as of Friday night, the recent Boston Marathon bombings have caused concern about other independent extremist ‘knuckleheads’ like the Tsarnaev brothers.

Bombs over Boston: Boston has one of the largest Independence Day celebrations in the country, which makes it a target for another potential terrorist attack

In fact, the Tsarnaev brothers had planned their attack on Boston for the Fourth of July, but executed it a few months early during the Boston Marathon once their bombs were ready. Investigators found firework explosive powder in the bomb remains.

The Tsarnaev brothers didn’t seem to have a strong connection to foreign terrorist cells. So avoiding another lone-ranger attack is ‘of paramount concern’ for the national holiday.

The national significance of the holiday combined with the ‘crowd density’ it creates, means there is a greater ‘opportunity to perpetuate a mass casualty attack.’

According to one law enforcement official, ‘out of an abundance of caution’ the New York Field Office of the FBI is sending two bomb-technicians up to Boston for the holiday to help out.

The abundance of fireworks on sale for the holiday is worrisome since firework explosive powders can be adapted for use in homemade bombs, similar to the pressure-cooker bomb used at the Boston Marathon in April.

‘Recent incidents in the Homeland demonstrate that consumer fireworks – widely used during the upcoming [July 4] celebrations – can be misused by criminals and violent extremists to construct improvised explosive devices,’ the notice said.

In the wrong hands: The Feds warned that fireworks being sold for the Fourth of July could be used by criminals and extremists to construct improvised explosive devices

Local law enforcement officials were instructed to pay close attention during the holiday and take notice of anyone asking questions ‘that go beyond mere curiosity about the potential damage fireworks could cause.’

The Tsarnaev’s learned how to make their explosive from a how-to article published in the first issue of Al Qaeda’s ‘Inspire’ magazine.

Two months before the attack, Tamerlan Tsarnaev drove to Seabrook, New Hampshire where be bought 48 mortars containing about eight pounds of low explosive powder from Phantom Fireworks.