US terror cleric in health alert

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The health of Omar Abdel Rahman, a blind radical Muslim cleric jailed for life in 1996 for plotting attacks on New York, is worsening, officials say.

He was taken to hospital when he began to spit blood, and a tumour was found on his liver. He is now back in jail.

The news prompted the FBI to issue an internal warning on the risk his death could spark attacks, the US media says.

In the past, Abdel Rahman has called on supporters to commit violence against the US if he dies in an American jail.

The FBI has not received intelligence suggesting any attack is imminent, officials have told reporters.

The Egyptian cleric, known as the Blind Sheikh, was convicted a decade ago of conspiring to blow up New York landmarks, including the United Nations.

He was also convicted of masterminding the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center that killed six and injured 1,000.

He has had medical problems for several years, including diabetes and heart complaints.