Lovely

Well, this isn't exactly encouraging:

Federal officials have information suggesting that al Qaeda has people in the United States preparing to mount a large-scale terrorist attack this summer, sources familiar with the information said yesterday.

Attorney General John D. Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III intend to hold a joint news conference this afternoon to discuss the threat and to ask Americans to watch for several suspected al Qaeda operatives who may be in the country, officials said.

The concerns are driven by intelligence deemed credible that was obtained about a month ago indicating an attack may be planned between now and Labor Day.

Well, it's no surprise that al Qaeda wants to launch another attack on American soil. For that matter it's not the first time we've heard of this type of threat. This is, however, the first time I can remember hearing this type of warning couched like this.

I wonder what could be prompting them though:

That information dovetails with other intelligence "chatter" suggesting that al Qaeda operatives are pleased with the change in government resulting from the March 11 terrorist bombings in Spain and may want to affect elections in the United States and other countries.

"They saw that an attack of that nature can have economic and political consequences and have some impact on the electoral process," said one federal official with access to counterterrorism intelligence.

You mean the fact that the Spanish populace caved encouraged more of the same? Say it ain't so.