NY and DC 9/11 Threat: Real?

Let me say first that I am not a conspiracy theorist and I do not believe that anyone is "out to get me".  I am patriotic, believe in my country (yes, the United States of America), and wish the best for the US people.

Now, I would simply like to ask you whether you believe the reported threat on NY from Al-Qaeda is real or fake.

This could quite possibly be a real threat from that terrorist group and the US government is doing all they can to find and stop another tragedy in this country from happening.  Obvious reasons being: the anniversary of 9/11/01, the lack of other major successful attacks by terrorists and their desire to keep people afraid/extract revenge on the western world, revenge for killing Osama.  If the US government and  agencies involved (like the CIA) are doing their job wonderfully, then updates of planned attacks and that they were stopped should be all that the American people hear about.  The problem then is that people might think there is no problem in the first place.  If the government and agencies have something slip by them and another attack happens, then the finger pointing starts about who's fault it was and that not enough is being done.

One might also argue that the government is trying to "pull wool over our eyes".  An update on the government stopping terrorists?  We're number one!  We're number one!... It could be to bolster support for the US government or the current political office.  Everyone likes to hear about how we're winning, right?  Also, fear is a great tool for keeping people in line.  Citizen who are afraid and thinking about a possible attack might be less likely to read/care about news involving loss of jobs, agricultural problems, riots in Great Britain over citizen's view of their unfair treatment, and loss of oil due to the conflict in Libya.  Could this also be justification for a more military controlled state?  Are people slowing being conditioned to passively accept random searches, invasive scans, random phone taps?  This has been said before; if one is willing to give up freedom for security, then we shall get/deserve neither.

Please, by all means go read articles about the update:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14857416

http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCATRE7877S220110909?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/10/nyregion/biden-describes-bomb-threat-as-security-is-increased.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

and more!  Go search around and see what you can find.  Go the the "conservative" sites and read their opinion.  Go to the "radical" sites and read their opinion.  Finally, form our own opinion and express yourself in an intelligent, articulated manor.