Gibbs: President Knew Of Potential Terror Threat On Night Before

According to a White House press release, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counter-terrorism John Brennan alerted President Barack Obama of Friday’s potential terror threat on Thursday at 10:35 pm.

In the release, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, “the President directed U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and the Department of Homeland Security, to take steps to ensure the safety and security of the American people, and to determine whether these threats are a part of any additional terrorist plotting. The President has received regular updates from his national security team since he was alerted to the threat.”

The US law and intellegence communities learned Thursday evening of two suspicious packages according to Gibbs.

“Based on close cooperation among U.S. government agencies and with our foreign allies and partners, authorities were able to identify and examine two suspicious packages, one in London and one in Dubai. Both of these packages originated from Yemen,” said Gibbs, “As a result of security precautions triggered by this threat, the additional measures were taken regarding the flights at Newark Liberty and Philadelphia International Airports.”