Obama orders counterterror boost amid 9/11 threat

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US President Barack Obama on Thursday ordered counterterrorism officials to boost efforts as they probed a terror threat ahead of the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a White House official said.

"The president was briefed on this specific threat information this morning and has been updated on it throughout the day," the official said.

Although the country has already tightened security, Obama had "directed the counterterrorism community to redouble its efforts in response to this credible but unconfirmed information," the official added.

US security officials said Thursday they were investigating a credible threat to the United States ahead of Sunday's 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in which almost 3,000 people died.

"In this instance, it’s accurate that there is specific, credible but unconfirmed threat information," the Department of Homeland Security said. "We have taken, and will continue to take all steps necessary to mitigate any threats that arise," it added in a statement.

The department noted that in the US raid that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in May, documents and computer files seized at this compound showed the terror network had pondered strikes to coincide with Sunday's anniversary, including against American trains.

"We continue to ask the American people to remain vigilant as we head into the weekend," it said.

The announcement came after the Pentagon on Wednesday raised the alert level at bases across the United States as "a prudent and precautionary measure," given Al-Qaeda's interest in milestones and anniversaries.

US media reported that the threat possibly targeted Washington or New York but homeland security officials did not confirm those accounts.