No credible threat during Thanksgiving: Obama assures Americans

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday said there was no specific, credible threat of a terror plot to the country, as authorities scrambled to quell public jitters about possible terrorist attacks during the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays.

The US government was taking "every possible step" to keep the country safe, Obama said in a speech at the White House, after meeting with his national security team.

"We know of no specific and credible intelligence indicating a plot on the homeland," he was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

He added that if there were to be a credible threat, the public would be informed.

Obama said people should remain vigilant, but not worry about going about their normal activities around the weekend's Thanksgiving holidays.

With memories of the November 13 attacks in Paris still raw, major US cities have beefed up security for the busy travel week in case of a Paris-style attack.