Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said July 8 that al Qaida plans a large-scale attack on the United States "in an effort to disrupt the democratic process" before November's elections, possibly during one of the national political conventions, according to press accounts.

The four-day Democratic convention kicks off July 26 in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Republican National Convention begins August 30 in New York City.

Ridge cited "recent interdictions" for the new warning. He said U.S. officials have no precise knowledge of the time, place or method of attack, but said they are "actively working to gain that knowledge."

Meanwhile, Ridge will not raise the national color-coded threat level beyond yellow, or elevated. The color-coded alert has been raised five times to orange, or high, since the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

Meanwhile, Ridge, FBI and CIA officials briefed House members July 7 about possible terrorism before the November election.

Rep. Christopher Cox, R-CA, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said he could not discuss specifics of the presentation, The Associated Press reported. But he said there are broad concerns that al-Qaida wants to strike inside the United States this summer or fall and hopes to influence the U.S. election, as terrorists did in Spain with the deadly Madrid train bombings in March.

Wednesday's "members-only threat update" - as described by a notice about the briefing - followed one July 6 at the White House for House and Senate leaders.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-TN, said the intelligence was "very non-specific" and there was "no reason for panic, no reason for paralysis."