Washington: The US intelligence community believes that al-Qaeda has a "new game plan" to launch terrorist attacks in America sometime before the November Presidential elections, prompting the administration to take precautions in a number of areas.

US administration officials, including National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, believe al-Qaeda wants to launch a new phase of "opportunistic operations" based on its apparent reading that the March 11 Madrid bombings, which killed 191 people, led Spanish voters days later to oust the government of Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, which supported Iraq war.

The "new game plan" of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network, US officials said, is to show its clout by disrupt the upcoming US polls and other large events scheduled in coming months, according to 'The Washington Post'.

The events include the dedication of Washington's new World War II memorial on the Mall in Washington, the Memorial Day and July 4 holidays and the two parties' political conventions in Boston and New York. Terrorists might also target the G-8 meeting in Georgia and Olympics in Greece.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge yesterday announced the formation of a Federal task force to co-ordinate heightened security at these and other events in the US.

The task force will bring together Ridge's agency with nine other departments, as well as hundreds of State and local agencies, to co-ordinate security measures.