Report: Al-Qaida emerges as newest threat to U.S.

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While the focus of the world has been locked on ISIS over the past several months, another terrorist group may pose a more immediate threat.

CBS News reports al-Qaida, particularly operatives and explosives experts from the Osama bin Laden era, is becoming an emerging threat to the U.S. once again.

U.S.-bound passengers are being searched for hidden explosives at two dozen foreign airports. Laptops and phones with dead batteries are not allowed on these flights.

In testimony Wednesday, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Matt Olsen — who warned that U.S. agencies are unable to effectively track Western jihadists inside Syria — seemed to make a vague reference to the threat. “In Syria, we’ve seen veteran al Qaeda fighters travel from Pakistan to take advantage of the permissive environment there,” said Olsen.

The al-Qaida cell is known as “Khorasan” and is believed to be developing plans to attack U.S. aviation. Khorasan is attempting to recruit Westerners who have traveled to Syria to aid or fight ISIS.

The group reportedly includes technicians trained by Ibrahim al-Asiri, the same man known for building the infamous “underwear bomb.”

CIA chief John Brennan recently told Orr that U.S. officials were “doing what we can” to track Asiri down, and predicted that his “time will come.”

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