Yahoo! News - U.S. Says Terror Threat Serious in Run-Up to Xmas
LONDON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said a threat of possible year-end terror attacks against the United States was serious, while other parts of the world were also on alert on Christmas Eve.

"You ask, 'Is it serious?' Yes, you bet your life," Rumsfeld told a Pentagon briefing.

One defense official said U.S. authorities believed Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda or other extremists might be planning attacks against key infrastructure sites, such as nuclear power plants, electric power stations, dams and oil industry facilities.

"No, we are not kidding here, really, honest." I find it amusing that now everybody questions whether or not the government is serious about this.