How do we know that this hasn't happened, that they haven't "informed appropriate local authorities"? The official did not say that they would have notified the public.
We don't. Why should we assume that the absence of evidence is actually evidence in the affirmative? And furthermore, why in the world wouldn't they tell the American public? Don't we deserve to know what we are supposed to be preparing ourselves for? Are we capable of defending our own lives or are we to leave it in the hands of the FBI and other "benevolant" agencies who couldn't prevent the attacks of 9/11?