Al-Qaeda threatens NYC energy, transportation with suicide bombers, relaunches English magazine

Al-Qaeda's Arabian Peninsula branch released a video in English threatening New York City's energy grid and subway system, as well as airplanes in general, with suicide bombers as the group relaunched its English-language magazine, "Inspire." 

The Transportation Security Administration said Monday that it is monitoring the potential threat posed by the al-Qaeda affiliate, according to NewsNation. 

Al-Malahem Media, Al-Qaeda Arabian Peninsula's media arm, published the video late last month. It opens with a picture of Al-Qaeda's logo and the translated Quran verse: "And fight in the way of Allah, you are not held responsible except for yourself ... and inspire the believers."

The video features a video of the American flag followed by Israeli flags being burned as a voice says, "Our enemy is one and that is why we strive jihad against this enemy."

The video then shows what appears to be a bomber as the narrator says: "We have returned to you again in a new form, and we present to you Open Source Jihad."

"Inspire" was last published in 2017, and the video suggests that the brand has been reinvented in an expanded form.

The video flashes between scenes of busy areas of New York City, an exploding aircraft, the subway system, a person assembling a bomb, and operatives with suicide vests wearing Palestinian keffiyehs.

"We are not aware of any credible threats resulting from this video to date," the TSA said. "Foreign terrorist organizations routinely highlight transportation modes during the holidays. TSA is operating at a high level of security and constant state of vigilance, as always."

By promoting "open source jihad," Al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, is hoping to decentralize weapons manufacturing instructions and materials. 

A longer video was released days after the first. It issues a call to action to take revenge for what is happening in Gaza after Israel responded to the Hamas invasion on Oct. 7, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute. On Oct. 7, terror groups invaded Israel, killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped 240 others. Israel responded with military force, resulting in the deaths of more than 20,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilian and combatant fatalities. 

The other video also includes instructions for building a concealed bomb for airplanes and lists influential Americans such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Tesla CEO Elon Musk as potential targets, per the institute.

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