Reader:

In an presidential election campaign that has had virtually every possible surprise, only one thing was missing: a terrorist attack.

Alas, even that may be on the horizon because as CBS News reported moments ago, the news station has learned about a potential terror threat for the day before the election: “Sources say U.S. intelligence has alerted joint terrorism task forces that al-Qeada could be planning attacks in three states for Monday.

CBS adds that it is believed New York, Texas and Virginia are all possible targets, though no specific locations are mentioned.

A senior FBI official told CBS News, ““The counterterrorism and homeland security communities remain vigilant and well-postured to defend against attacks here in the United States. The FBI, working with our federal, state and local counterparts, shares and assesses intelligence on a daily basis and will continue to work closely with law enforcement and intelligence community partners to identify and disrupt any potential threat to public safety.” During holiday seasons and when big events are approaching, intelligence about potential threats always increases.

While CBS tried to moderate the warning by noting that the “sources stress the intelligence is still being assessed and its credibility hasn’t been confirmed, but counterterrorism officials were alerted to the threat out of abundance of caution”, such a threat may lead to a depressed turnout in these three states and potentially impact the outcome of the presidential election.