ISLAMABAD (AFP) Pakistan on Wednesday dismissed leaked Western intelligence reports purporting to have uncovered an Al-Qaeda plot hatched by extremists in Pakistan to attack Britain, France and Germany. We dont have any credible information from sources that any such planning is taking place or terrorists are planning anything in North Waziristan, military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told AFP. Media in Britain and the United States said the militants were planning simultaneous strikes in London and major cities in France and Germany. It was one of the most serious Al-Qaeda attack plans in recent years and was inspired by the terror groups fugitive leadership in Pakistans tribal areas, said the BBC. There is no credible information about this, Abbas said. Local officials believe the report could increase pressure on Pakistan to fight in North Waziristan, considered a stronghold for the most dangerous militants in the world. The North Waziristan mountains are also a refuge for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which escaped military offensive in neighbouring South Waziristan. The threat is very real, a European-based security official told AFP. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that France and Britain had been targeted in the threat, which first came to light last month. Orders have been given at the highest level of Al-Qaeda to punish Europe, and France in particular, the source said. US intelligence services identified the threat from various sources, including the questioning of suspects from the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, which had been confirmed by information from other countries, the source added. This tallies with reports by US broadcasters ABC and CNN that the source of the intelligence was a German suspect detained in Afghanistan. However, a US official on Wednesday confirmed reports of Al-Qaeda plot. The threat is, at this point, credible but not specific, said the official, who asked to remain unnamed. Its unclear, for instance, precisely where something might occur. For that reason, people shouldnt limit their thinking to the United Kingdom, France, or Germany, the official told AFP. And while no one should dismiss the prospect of a Mumbai-style operation, its entirely conceivable that other modes of attack are in play. Britains interior ministry refused to comment on the reports of a plot, but a spokeswoman said: We know we face a real and serious threat from terrorism. She told AFP there was no change at all to the national threat level, which since January has been at severe, the second highest of five levels, meaning a terror attack is highly likely. The German government meanwhile said it was aware of Al-Qaedas long-term aim to attack Western targets, but its risk assessment of the security threat was unchanged. At the moment there are no concrete indications of any imminent attacks on Germany resulting from this. The current information does not change our risk assessment, an interior ministry statement said. The United States was also a possible target in the reported plot and President Barack Obama had been briefed about the threat, ABC said. Sky News said a recent surge in US drone attacks in Pakistans border areas was aimed at eliminating the plots leaders, and had killed some of them. At least 21 US drone strikes have targeted Al-Qaeda and its affiliates in the tribal zone in September - the highest number in any single month - and the latest on Tuesday killed Al-Qaedas operational chief in the region. The investigation into the plot is reportedly ongoing, but the BBC said no imminent arrests were expected in Britain. France has been on a heightened state of alert amid warnings of an imminent attack but a source with links to the intelligence service said these warnings were not linked to the latest reported Al-Qaeda plans. Authorities in Paris evacuated the Eiffel Tower for several hours on Tuesday evening after a phone call to the landmarks operator warning of a bomb. French officials said Wednesday they had no new information on a specific threat of a Mumbai-style attack, but last week government sources said US intelligence had warned of jihadi cells moving back to Europe from Pakistan.