The "specific" threat against the New York subways turns out to be based on unreliable information. Al Qaeda is pulling Bloomberg's chain.
...some federal law enforcement officials in Washington blamed the Department of Homeland Security for essentially creating an unwarranted panic on New York subways; they said the information that led to the elevated alert was not only uncorroborated and not credible, but also released without authorization ...
"DHS took information learned from an ongoing military operation and presented it without clearance, and without understanding the complexities of what it was all about," the official said. "You have to properly vet it first. But in their zeal, in their mantra of protecting America, they just put it out there, and it was irresponsible."
The official said the alleged plotters talked about going to New York to launch an attack, but authorities questioned whether they had the means or ability to do so.
"It was crazy, fantastical. You're talking about guys who had no capability of doing what they say they were going to do," said the official.http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-100705subway_lat,0,2926501.story?coll=la-tot-promo&track=morenews