CIA Expects Terror Attack on US Soil Within Six Months

Top U.S. intelligence officials told Congress on Tuesday that the United States can expect a terror attack within its borders in three to six months. CIA Director Leon Panetta revealed to the Senate Intelligence Committee at an annual assessment of the nation's terror threats that al Qaeda operatives are being sent here to carry out new attacks..

Panetta said that the group is using so-called "clean" recruits who have virtually no trail of terrorist contacts.

The hearing held Tuesday comes amidst growing concerns that future attacksin the US could resemble that of the foiled Christmas Day bomb attempt in Detroit, where Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab tried to detonate a bomb in his underwear. Fortunately, the Nigerian student only managed to set his pants on fire. Panetta said that new terror recruits may be more difficult to spot.

He said:

"The biggest threat is not so much that we face an attack like 9/11. It is that al Qaeda is adapting its methods in ways that oftentimes make it difficult to detect.

He also warned of terrorists who act alone:

"It's the lone-wolf strategy that I think we have to pay attention to as the main threat to this country.