“An intercepted electronic communication in which two of al Qaeda’s top world leaders agreed they ‘wanted to do something big’ this past Sunday is what caused the U.S. government to shut nearly two dozen diplomatic posts around the world, according to intelligence sources.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s successor as the head of al Qaeda, and Nasir al-Wahishi, leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, wanted to time a significant attack to a Muslim holiday known as Laylat al-Qadr, the 27th night of Ramadan and the day the Koran was revealed to Mohammed. This year the holiday, also known as the ‘Night of Destiny’ or the ‘Night of Power,’ fell on the weekend of August 3 and 4.”
Source:Al Qaeda leaders ‘wanted to do something big’ on Muslim holiday, sources say – Investigations