Federal Agencies Warn of ‘Violent Extremists’ in US Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict

Department of Homeland Security sign at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Washington on June 28, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

U.S. authorities issued a warning on Oct. 26 about the growing threat posed by “violent extremists and lone offenders” on U.S. soil, in light of the current conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI stated in a joint Oct. 25 bulletin that the threat level has increased since their initial warning this month.

The war between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7 and already has become the deadliest of the five Gaza wars for both sides. More than two weeks have passed since Hamas’s surprise attack, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,400 Israelis, most of them civilians, and more than 200 taken hostage to Gaza.

The FBI has seen an increase in reported domestic threats since the initial Hamas attack, Director Christopher Wray said on a call with reporters on Oct. 15, just days after the bureau’s Oct. 10 news bulletin on the subject.

“Since DHS and FBI issued the 10 October Public Service Announcement, the volume and frequency of threats to Americans, especially those in the Jewish, Arab American, and Muslim communities in the United States, have increased, raising our concern that violent extremists and lone offenders motivated by or reacting to ongoing events could target these communities,” the recent bulletin reads.

While there’s no specific information regarding foreign adversaries planning attacks on the United States, some are exploiting the situation to further their own objectives.

Support for Hamas’s Attack

Al-Qaida has called for support for Hamas through attacks on U.S. military installations, airports, Navy vessels, and embassies in predominantly Muslim countries.

Similarly, the ISIS terror group has encouraged attacks on Jewish interests worldwide, with a focus on Jewish neighborhoods in the United States and Europe, including temples, nightclubs, and economic targets.

The bulletin also highlights Iranian media outlets misreporting information. It appears that the goal of these media sources is to incite violence by using photographs and videos that have been doctored or mislabeled, as well as erroneous translations and deceptive content regarding the conflict.

The longstanding tensions between Israel and the Palestinian territories have historically prompted calls for violence against Jewish, Arab American, and Muslim communities. The current widespread sharing of graphic content related to the conflict reportedly likely further increases the risk of incitement to violence in the United States, according to the security agencies.

The FBI and DHS advise the public to remain vigilant and report any threats or suspicious activity to law enforcement in light of these potential threats and the exploitation of the conflict by foreign entities.

“These threats have included hoax bomb threats targeting houses of worship and violent rhetoric online encouraging attacks against the Jewish, Arab American, and Muslim communities across the United States,” the bulletin reads.

“Of note, on 14 October, an individual in Illinois stabbed and killed a 6-year-old Palestinian-American child and severely wounded his mother, an incident that is being investigated as an anti-Muslim hate crime.”

Previous Warnings

Mr. Wray said on a call with reporters on Oct. 22 that the FBI is moving quickly to mitigate the threats and that it doesn’t discount the possibility that Hamas and other terror groups could use the conflict to call for or plot attacks in the United States.

“The threat is very much ongoing, and in fact, the threat picture continues to evolve,” he said, according to CBS. “Here in the U.S., we cannot and do not discount the possibility that Hamas or other foreign terrorist organizations could exploit the conflict to call on their supporters to conduct attacks on our own soil.”

Mr. Wray told an international audience of police chiefs at a conference in San Diego on Oct. 14 that the war in the Middle East is creating a “heightened environment” in the United States in which Hamas-inspired bad actors may seek to wreak havoc.

“In this heightened environment, there’s no question we’re seeing an increase in reported threats, and we have to be on the lookout, especially for lone actors who may take inspiration from recent events to commit violence of their own,” he said.

“And I‘d encourage you to stay vigilant, because as the first line of defense in protecting our communities, you’re often the first to see the signs that someone may be mobilizing to violence. And I’d also ask you to continue sharing any intelligence or observations you may have.”

Mr. Wray didn’t provide additional information about the alleged threats, nor did he specify whether his department is or has taken action in response to them. He did use the occasion to express “heartfelt condolences to the people of Israel” and to abhor anti-Semitism.

“History has been witness to anti-Semitic and other forms of violent extremism for far too long,” he said. "Whether that be from foreign terrorist organizations, or those inspired by them, or domestic violent extremists motivated by their own racial animus, the targeting of a community because of their faith is completely unacceptable.

“We remain committed to continue confronting those threats—both here in the United States and overseas.”

Bill Pan contributed to this report.