American Malls Are Threatened by Somalian Terrorists -- and the DHS Secretary Is Warning Shoppers of the Danger

It's a chilling, very specific message — and it had Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson warning shoppers of the threat.

The masked man in al-Shabab's video calling for attacks on malls. (Image via CNN)

After Somalia-based terror group al-Shabab released a video calling for attacks on shopping malls throughout the U.S., U.K. and Canada, Johnson took to CNN Sunday morning to advise caution.

"If anyone is planning to go to the Mall of America today, they've got to be particularly careful," Johnson told CNN's Gloria Borger. "There will be enhanced security there, but public vigilance, public awareness and public caution in situations like this is particularly important, and it's the environment we're in, frankly."

The Minnesota Mall of America was one of the malls listed by name in al-Shabab's Saturday video, and has promised to boost security measures.

As CNN noted, al-Shabab could have special pull in Minneapolis due to the city being home to America's largest Somali population.

The call to shopping mall violence harkens back to al-Shabab's 2013 terror attack on a mall in Nairobi, Kenya — an attack in which several Americans were reported to have participated.

—

Follow Zach Noble (@thezachnoble) on Twitter