Top officials of several U.S. intelligence agencies believe that [br] [original

The heads of several U.S. intelligence agencies have the same outlook on the country’s security. During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, they said that in the next three to six months, it is certain that there will be an attempted terrorist attack on the U.S. An attempt, though, doesn’t mean an actual attack. In fact, the CIA director used the failed, Christmas Day bombing plot as an example. None of the intelligence leaders, which included the FBI director and the director of national intelligence, talked about a specific threat. But they did say that their top concern is al Qaeda, the terrorist group connected to the Christmas Day plot. The hearing also focused on cyber-security; protecting against online attacks. Those are seen as a growing threat, and one that the intelligence community needs to address. The national intelligence director said that the U.S. is not prepared for the kinds of cyber attacks it could face. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the chairwoman of the committee holding the hearing, agreed that the country does need to develop an overall, cyber-security strategy.