“Washington has received intelligence reports that al Qaeda was in the late stages of planning such an attack,” read the advisory

WASHINGTON, May 2 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - The United States warned U.S. airlines Friday, May 2, of an alleged imminent aerial attack by Al-Qaeda group on its Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.

"Washington has received intelligence reports that al Qaeda was in the late stages of planning such an attack against the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan," the Homeland Security Department said in an advisory to pilots and airports.

The United States had repeatedly issued similar warnings of possible attacks by Al-Qaeda, but all turned to be false alarms.

Spokeswoman Rachael Sunbarger said the advisory was issued to the general aviation community asking members to be especially vigilant so that they can take steps to increase security and watch for any suspicious activity.

The advisory, saying that operatives were planning to pack a small fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter with explosives and crash it into the consulate, refers to no specific threat into the United States.

"We issued this advisory in response to a collaboration of intelligence information regarding threats to the aviation community, not in response to a specific threat," said the spokeswoman.

"This plot and a similar plot last year to fly a small explosive-laden aircraft into a U.S. warship in the Persian Gulf demonstrate al Qaeda's continued fixation with using explosive-laden small aircraft in attacks," read the advisory.

Al-Qaeda was blamed for the Sept. 11 hijack attacks on Washington and New York.

The advisory warned that al Qaeda might attempt to use charter or small aircraft for future attacks because of their "availability, less stringent protective measures, and destructive potential."

"The group has a fair sized pilot cadre and the use of small aircraft requires far less skill and training than some larger aircraft," said the advisory, which was based on information and analysis from the Terrorist Threat Integration Center received during the last 24 hours.

Pakistani authorities arrested on Tuesday, April 26, six Al-Qaeda suspects including Yemeni Waleed Mohammad bin Attash, linked to the deadly USS Cole bombing in 2000, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

Pakistani interior ministry officials said the group was plotting a massive terror attack in Karachi.

A large amount of explosives and weapons, including grenades, Kalashnikov automatic rifles, detonators and a truckload of explosive sulphur were found in their possession, they said.

Pakistani authorities who had been questioning the arrested men also said Thursday, May 1, that the U.S. interrogators would also be allowed to question them.