April 29, 2004
By Mason Stockstill
Associated Press

Federal officials have warned the LAPD about an unspecified potential threat to a Los Angeles area mall and said an attack may have been planned for today.

"As of now, the information is uncorroborated and the credibility of the source is unknown," the Police Department said in a statement.

No specific shopping mall was named, but the warning indicated a mall near the Federal Building in West Los Angeles could be targeted.

The LAPD will increase patrols at shopping malls in the city and asked mall operators to beef up their security while a joint terrorism task force investigates. The department said it would have no further comment beyond the statement issued late Wednesday.

Mayor James Hahn also received the information Wednesday.

"... It's uncorroborated, but we are asking all Los Angeles residents to go on with their daily lives while remaining vigilant and alert," Hahn spokeswoman Shannon Murphy said.

FBI spokesman Matt McLaughlin said the source of the information was of "undetermined reliability."

"This particular threat, just because of the nature of it, had a little more information in it, albeit unsubstantiated information. ... That doesn't necessarily make it really distinctly different from some of these other threats we've heard," he said.

He said authorities are obligated to aggressively investigate all threats they can't immediately dismiss.

"You have to make the public aware of certain dates, locations, threats that you're aware of," he said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been apprised of the warning, spokeswoman Terri Carbaugh said.

Several areas in and around Los Angeles have been said to be potential targets for terrorists, including movie studios, bridges, the ports and Los Angeles International Airport.

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