A Yemeni policeman stands at a check point in the capital Saana on August 3, 2013. The United States issued a worldwide warning that Al-Qaeda may attack in August as it ordered shut its embassies across the Islamic world. Britain also said it would temporarily close its embassy in Yemen as US lawmakers said the threat likely involved Al-Qaeda's franchise in the country. AFP PHOTO/ MOHAMMED HUWAIS (Photo credit should read MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP/Getty Images) / MOHAMMED HUWAIS
The terrorism threat that prompted the U.S. government to close nearly two-dozen embassies and consulates surfaced when intelligence analysts intercepted electronic communications between top al Qaeda leaders, CBS News' Bob Orr has learned.
Al Qaeda chief Ayman al Zawahiri and Nasir al-Wuhayshi, the leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), were discussing "something big," sources say. It's rare for veteran al Qaeda leaders to break operational security by openly discussing possible plots, and the interception stunned U.S. officials.
AQAP, the most active and charged among the al Qaeda network, "is of particular concern" to the U.S., White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday. The affiliate, he said, "has demonstrated both an interest in and a willingness to attempt serious attacks on the United States, our allies and our people."
While the U.S. intercepted the communications, the intelligence remains incomplete, leaving it unclear what the planned attack may entail. American embassies and consulates will remain closed in 19 Middle Eastern and African countries through Saturday.
