By Sky News US Team
Security has been beefed up at the Mall of America in Minnesota after a video purported to be by extremist group al Shabaab called for an attack on shopping malls in Western countries.
The threat by the Somali group, affiliated to al Qaeda, urged Muslims to attack shopping malls in the US, Canada, Britain and other countries. It singled out the Mall of America, in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, among others.
US authorities said there was no credible evidence suggesting a mall attack was in the works.
"We are not aware of any specific, credible plot against the Mall of America or any other domestic commercial shopping centre," a Homeland Security Department spokeswoman said in a statement.
However, top officials also called for vigilance, and the Bloomington Police Department said additional security measures had been put in place at the mall, one of the country's largest.
Mall of America said it was "aware of a threatening video which includes a mention and images of the mall".
Earlier on Sunday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson called the video "the new phase" of the global terrorist threat and warned the public to be vigilant.
"These groups are relying more and more on independent actors to become inspired, drawn to the cause and they'll attack on their own," Mr Johnson said, speaking on CNN's State Of The Union.
"I am very concerned about serious potential threats of independent actors here in the United States. We've seen this now in Europe, we've seen this in Canada."
Asked about the specific threat against the Mall of America, Mr Johnson said: "Any time a terrorist organization calls for an attack on a specific place we've got to take that seriously.
"What we're telling the public is you've got to be vigilant. There will be enhanced security there that will be apparent, but public vigilance, public awareness and public caution in situations like this is particularly important."
Shoppers seemed undeterred on Sunday by the threat.
David Modrynski said he talked with his wife and son about whether to visit the mall after hearing about the video. "But we can't stop living our lives because somebody says they're going to do something."
Another shopper, Mary Lamminen, said: "I'm more afraid of the cold today than any terrorists."
Al Shabaab was behind a 2013 attack on the high-end Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya that killed 67 people, raising fears about mall safety around the world.
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