(USNewsBreak.com) – Terrorists hijacked planes and carried out the worst domestic attack the United States has ever seen on September 11, 2001. Al-Qaeda eventually took responsibility for the tragic event. Since then, US intelligence agencies have undertaken several measures to stay on top of potential national security threats. Wartime seems to result in an escalation of bulletins. Amid the strife in Israel, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released a joint report warning to local authorities to be on alert.
It’s not uncommon for heightened alerts to surface during the holiday season, but this year, US intelligence officials fear the Hamas-Israel war has increased risks. Israeli forces are currently aiming at Gaza, and that has caused a “whole ‘nother level” of threats, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. He said that following the surprise attack on Israel on October 7, a “veritable rogue’s gallery of foreign terrorists” has called for attacks on the United States.
A new joint bulletin from the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice warns that groups like al Qaeda and ISIS will likely use the Israel-Hamas war "to increase calls for violence in the U.S. during the holiday season compared to prior years." https://t.co/NgMHXtOD9b
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 6, 2023
In response to a question from Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Wray has even noted that terrorists may try to use the situation at the Southern Border to their advantage. The intelligence agency is making it a priority to “identify and disrupt potential attacks.”
The bulletin issued by the DHS and DOJ sought to warn local law enforcement agencies of potential attacks on synagogues, churches, and Jewish community members. This advance notice is especially critical considering the start of Hanukkah on December 7.
This memorandum isn’t the first time Wray has warned of the possibility of increased hostility towards the US. In October, after Hamas attacked Israel, the FBI director cautioned that the aggressive attack could inspire others much like 9/11-inspired ISIS. US troops are already coming under fire in the Middle East, with at least 74 attacks occurring since October 17, as of the start of December.
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