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Bomb plot rumours posted on al Qaeda websites have prompted New York police to step up security in the city.

Target? Macy's department storeA rush of internet chatter led to fears that the radical group was plotting to detonate a dirty bomb around 34th street in Manhattan.

The bustling neighbourhood is home to the Empire State Building - New York City's tallest building, Madison Square Garden and Macy's department store.

Israeli website Debka reported that there had been many messages posted on al Qaeda sites.

One described an attack "by means of trucks loaded with radioactive material against America's biggest city and financial nerve center".

Another message mentioned New York, Los Angeles and Miami as targets, the news site reported.

The New York Police Department said it had boosted the number of radiological sensors on its vehicles, boats and helicopters.

Vehicle checkpoints have also been set up in lower Manhattan's financial district and at bridges and tunnels.

Police said the chilling warning was an "unverified radiological threat," and played down the increased security.

The Empire State Building"It is stressed that these deployments are strictly precautionary and not the result of any verified threat," NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg stressed there was no reason to believe this threat was any different from countless others since the September 11 attacks.

"Earlier this evening, the NYPD began taking several public precautionary measures visible to New Yorkers to guard against an unverified threat that was found on the internet," he said.

"These actions are like those that the NYPD takes every day - precautions against potential but unconfirmed threats that may never materialise."

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1279532,00.html