The coded words directly pointed to the likelihood of a significant al Qaeda attack against an overseas U.S. installation, according to a U.S. source familiar with the latest intelligence.

However, the words did not give clues as to a specific location or target, which is what led to closing nearly two dozen embassies and other diplomatic facilities deemed to possibly be at risk.

The U.S. intelligence community had been monitoring al Qaeda communications regularly, but was especially concerned about three intercepts…

A U.S. official declined to discuss specific code words on the intercepts but told CNN “there was a sense of imminence, a sense of the overall area at risk and the known actors. There was great concern.”