U.S. has no evidence of any Islamic State plot against subways -sources

The United States has no evidence to back up an Iraqi claim that Islamic State forces were plotting to attack U.S. subway systems, two senior U.S. government security officials told Reuters on Thursday.        

In the past, the United States had received threats that various militant groups were targeting such transportation systems but there is no recent information about an imminent plan by Islamic State, one official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.        

A separate source in Congress said lawmakers and staff had not been briefed on any current Islamic State threats against subways in U.S. cities.           

Earlier on Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Iraq had received "credible" intelligence that Islamic State militants plan to attack subway systems in Paris and the United States.  

"Today, while I am here, I am receiving accurate reports from Baghdad where there was (the) arrest of (a) few elements and there are networks planning from inside Iraq to have attacks," he told a small group of U.S. reporters.        

"They plan to have attacks in the metros of Paris and the U.S.," he added. "From the details I have received, yes it looks credible."        

Abadi said that he received the information on Thursday morning in New York.         

In the same regard, French fighter jets struck targets in Iraq on Thursday, government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said.    

"There were strikes in Iraq this morning," Le Foll said without giving any further details.       

The strikes were the first by French jets since Sept. 19 when Paris joined the United States military action against Islamic State insurgents in Iraq who have taken over parts of the country.