In advance of the 20th Anniversary of 9-11, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a new National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin.
DHS said the country faced a heightened threat environment due to the terror attack’s anniversary and several religious holidays. The threats, the department said, comes from many diverse sides.
“DHS remains committed to sharing timely information with the public about the heightened threat environment in order to protect communities across our country,” said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. “Today’s NTAS Bulletin advises the public about the heightened threat landscape we face and how DHS is working with our partners, at every level of government and in the community, to combat domestic terrorism and targeted violence in all its forms. We are committed to ensuring every initiative undertaken by DHS in response to the threat is consistent with privacy protections, civil rights and civil liberties, First Amendment-protected rights, and other applicable laws.”
The threats posed to the country include those from domestic terrorists and from individuals and groups engaged in grievance-based violence, as well as those inspired or motivated by foreign terrorists and other foreign influences.
“Through the remainder of 2021, racially- or ethnically-motivated violent extremists (RMVEs) and anti-government/anti-authority violent extremists will remain a national threat priority for the United States. These extremists may seek to exploit the emergence of COVID-19 variants by viewing the potential re-establishment of public health restrictions across the United States as a rationale to conduct attacks. Pandemic-related stressors have contributed to increased societal strains and tensions, driving several plots by domestic violent extremists, and they may contribute to more violence this year,” the bulletin said. “Historically, mass-casualty domestic violent extremist attacks linked to RMVEs have targeted houses of worship and crowded commercial facilities or gatherings. Some RMVEs advocate via online platforms for a race war and have stated that civil disorder provides opportunities to engage in violence in furtherance of ideological objectives. The reopening of institutions, including schools, as well as several dates of religious significance over the next few months, could also provide increased targets of opportunity for violence though there are currently no credible or imminent threats identified to these locations.”
Foreign actors responding to the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, such as Al Qa’ida, continue to plot against the United States, the bulletin said, and promote online narratives that call for violence against elected officials, political representatives, government facilities, law enforcement, religious communities, and commercial facilities.
DHS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said they will continue to monitor the situations, coordinate with state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement and maintain open lines of communication with federal partners.