NEW YORK (JTA) – The national Jewish community’s security arm asked Jewish institutions to be on the alert after Osama bin Laden’s son called for attacks on Jewish American interests. The Secure Community Network (SCN) alert last week said that Hamza bin Laden, who has ambitions to lead al-Qaida, the terrorist organization founded by his father, posted an audio message calling “for the targeting of Jewish American interests globally.” “Hamza also reportedly called for attacks on Washington, London, Paris and Tel Aviv,” the alert said.

The alert by SCN, an arm of the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said the audio message was confirmed by “reliable sources” in law enforcement and was recorded sometime before June 15. Paul Goldenberg, SCN’s director, said the call by bin Laden might be a bid to draw attention to the once preeminent terrorist organization, now on the wane because of U.S. targeting, including the assassination of his father, as well as the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Goldenberg said that because there is no imminent threat against a specific target, it is key for Jews to attend High Holidays services next month and not to be affected by terrorist rhetoric.