Somali terror group Al-Shabaab threatens to attack shopping malls in Canada, US and UK

Al-Shabaab, a Somalia based terror group released a videoclip online over the weekend calling for attacks on popular shopping malls in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. 

In the propaganda videoclip posted online Saturday February 21st, the al Qaeda-linked terror sect reminded the world of its horrific September 2013 attack on Westgate mall in Kenya in which over 60 individuals were shot dead and called for similar attacks on popular malls in the three Western countries. 

In the video Al-Shabaab  specifically identified targeted malls, but international media is not giving the names of the malls.

The management of popular malls in US such as the Mall of America says it has beefed-up its security personnel within and outside the mall following the video threat by the terror group.

“We take any potential threat seriously and respond appropriately. We have put in place extra precautions interms of security, some may be apparent to guests and others won’t be.” the Minnesota mall stated in a statement.

The secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh John during an interview with CNN on Sunday pleaded with Americans intending to go to the mall to be particularly careful.

“If any individual is planning to go to the Mall of America today, they’ve got to be particularly careful. There will be enhanced security there but public awareness, public vigilance,  and public caution in situations like this is particularly necessary, and it’s the environment we’re in, frankly.” he mentioned

The US government has said there's no credible evidence that an attack is imminent