ABC News is reporting that the FBI and Department of Homeland Security have circulated a bulletin to law enforcement about a 40 person "hit list" posted to jihadi web site website Ansar al-Mujahideen.

According to ABC, the list targets "a member of Congress, Pentagon officials, a conservative pundit, executives of an American company involved in the production of drone aircraft, and two prominent French executives" and also "includes photographs of the targets and biographical information." ABC says the list emerged "after one poster highlighted Al Qaeda leader Adam Gadahn's call in a June 3 message for lone wolf attacks on American public figures and corporate institutions." In follow-up posts, according to the bulletin, "forum members posted the names of over 40 heads of government, industry and media as potential targets."

A DHS spokesman confirmed that the agency sent out the bulletin.

"A DHS Open Source Information Report about an online posting by a user of an Arabic-language violent jihadist forum, which listed specific individuals and businesses that the user believed were legitimate targets, was disseminated by the Office of Intelligence & Analysis."

"While we have no information of any imminent terrorist threat to the United States or any U.S. persons, as always, we urge federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as the general public, to maintain increased vigilance for indications of preoperational or suspicious activity,"

The FBI declined official comment to ABC about the list, but said "that when the names of individuals and businesses were discovered on this forum, appropriate action was taken" with the bulletin.

Update 1: Fox News reports the list includes " dozens of names connected to the Iraq War," and mentions "executives at Halliburton and KBR."

Update 2: NBC New York has seen the list and isn't publishing any of the specific names. They note, however, that "26 of [the names come] with photos attached," and say the list "includes Wall Street firms" and "leaders with think tanks"

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Ray Gustini