New terror video calls for deadly attack on London's iconic Oxford Street
ISLAMIST terrorists have called on militants stationed within the UK to launch a devastating attack on Oxford Street and other major shopping centres.
A masked man reads out the GPS coordinates for the Westfield shopping centres around London
Fighters from the al Shabaab group made the terrifying plea to attack the heart of the capital in their latest video message.
Oxford Street, which is hugely popular amongst tourists visiting London, is home to more than 300 shops and visited by an estimated five million people each week.
In the footage, the radicals specifically mention Oxford Street, and give GPS coordinates for the Westfield shopping centres in Stratford and Shepherd's Bush.
The masked militant in the terror video speaks with a British-sounding accent.
US authorities have confirmed they are taking the threats made in the video "seriously".
The Metropolitan Police told Sky News its Counter Terrorism Command is aware of the video and is assessing the content.
In the video, the al Shabaab member talks about malls in the UK and in the United States
The iconic Oxford Street, in the heart of London, is home to some 300 shops and department stores
It is estimated more than five million people visit the street every week
Anytime a terrorist organisation calls for an attack on a specific place, we've got to take that seriously
The Somali-based militants have previously claimed responsibility for a terror attack on an upmarket shopping mall in Kenya, which left 67 dead.
Several American shopping malls were also threatened in the terror video, which was released yesterday.
One of the US malls highlighted – the Mall of America, in Minnesota – stepped up security overnight amid fears radicalised Muslims are preparing an imminent attack.
Minnesota is home to a large Somali population.
Last week, a Minnesota man was indicted on charges of conspiring to support the Islamic State, also referred to as IS, ISIS and ISIL.
Chief of homeland security in the US Jeh Johnson said: "Anytime a terrorist organisation calls for an attack on a specific place, we've got to take that seriously.
"I would say that if anyone is planning to go to the Mall of America today, they've got to be particularly careful.
"This latest statement from al Shabaab reflects the new phase we've evolved to in the global terrorist threat, in that you have groups such as al Shabaab and ISIL publicly calling for independent actors in their homelands to carry out attacks."