Christmas chaos: Al Qaeda is planning suicide attacks across Europe and the U.S., warn insurgents

Terrorists are plotting deadly Christmas attacks in what could make for holiday travel chaos.

Iraqi authorities have obtained confessions from captured insurgents who claim Al Qaeda is planning suicide attacks in the United States and Europe during the holiday season.

Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani said that the botched bombing in central Stockholm last weekend was among the alleged plots the insurgents revealed.

The new terror warnings are based on information gathered from recent detainees. Earlier this month security forces arrested 39 al Qaeda militants, including the group's leadership in Anbar province, some of whom are seen here

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, in a telephone interview from New York, called the claims 'a critical threat.'

Both al-Bolani and Zebari said Iraq has informed Interpol of the alleged plots, and alerted authorities in the U.S. and European countries of the possible danger.
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Neither official specified which country or countries in Europe are alleged targets.

Western counter-terrorism officials are on high alert during the holiday season.

Last year saw the failed attack by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the so-called underwear bomber, who tried to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day by lighting explosives in his pants.

Last Christmas Day Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab of Nigeria, tried to blow up a Northwest/Delta flight from Amsterdam to Detriot

THE UNDERWEAR BOMBER: Here are his charred and singed underpants with a packet of explosive powder sewn into the crotch

Likewise, shoe bomber Richard Reid tried to blow up a Paris to Miami plane on December 22, 2001.

Al-Bolani said several insurgents claimed to be part of a cell that took its orders directly from Al Qaeda's central leadership. He said at least one of the captured suspects was a foreign fighter from Tunisia.

The confessions were the result of recent operations by Iraqi security forces that have netted at least 73 suspected operatives in the last two weeks, al-Bolani said.

Links between Al Qaeda's central leadership, which is believed to be hiding in Pakistan, and the terror organization's front group in Iraq are tenuous as the local branch in recent years has been run by local insurgents.

But al-Bolani said the claims — if true — show Al Qaeda remains a presence in Iraq.

Iraq's Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani said that the botched bombing in Stockholm last weekend was among the alleged plots insurgents revealed

'Several members of this terrorist group have direct links with the central leaders of the Al Qaeda organization,' al-Bolani said.

'Those captured represent the main structure of the Al Qaeda organization in Iraq.'

Zebari, who is in New York for a meeting of the U.S. Security Council, said he informed 'the countries concerned.' He mentioned the U.S, but would not specify which countries in Europe.

Al-Bolani said the suspects claimed that last Saturday's suicide bombing in Stockholm — carried out by an Iraqi-born Swede on Saturday — was among the plots. He said the suspects made the claim after the bombing happened.