Written by Bethany Blankley (The Center Square)
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment warns that “the homeland terrorist threat environment will remain elevated over the next year.”
A combination of factors, including domestic sociopolitical developments, particularly the potential violent extremist response to the 2024 election cycle, and international events such as the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict, will likely push this level forward. It is expected to remain high.
“Lone offenders and small groups continue to pose the greatest threat, while foreign terrorist organizations, including ISIS and al-Qaeda, have persistent intentions to carry out or incite attacks on the homeland. ,” DHS said in a statement Wednesday. announcement.
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The report said Homeland Security officials are “particularly concerned with domestic and foreign violent extremists who use the November U.S. election and the Israeli-Hamas war to justify and encourage attacks on the homeland.” I’m concerned,” he said. Lone criminals and small groups continue to pose the greatest threat, carrying out attacks with little or no warning.
“Meanwhile, Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and their supporters will maintain their persistent intent to carry out or incite attacks on the mainland.”
Looking ahead to 2025, DHS says the threat of violence from U.S.-based violent extremists, including domestic violent extremists (DVE) and domestic violent extremists (HVE) inspired by foreign terrorist organizations, remains high. states.
Between September 2023 and July 2024, DVE conducted at least four attacks in the United States. Some were thwarted by law enforcement. According to DHS, two HVE attacks have occurred in connection with the Israel-Hamas war, and law enforcement has thwarted at least three HVE plots.
It notes that over the past year, DVE has focused on a variety of targets, while HVE has targeted faith-based organizations.
“The October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the ensuing conflict between Israel and Hamas and its regional allies have galvanized violent extremists across the ideological spectrum and promoted attacks against people, Muslims, Christians, and Arab communities,” the report said. Note.
The report comes as the Florida-based international rescue organization marks the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamast terrorist attack, warning Americans of the possibility of a terrorist attack ahead of the Jewish holiday. The announcement came after a warning to continue. Anti-Israel and the November US election, Center Square reported.
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The 46-page DHS assessment assessed threats related to terrorism, including “increasing complexity burdening the immigration system, transnational organized crime, the prevalence of cyber threats, and geopolitical strategic competition.” .
DHS states that the United States faces “threats to public safety posed by state actors, including the People’s Republic of China (PRC), who use destructive tactics aimed at influencing, dividing, and undermining confidence in our nation’s institutions.” will be faced with.” The report said China “targets American dissidents and journalists to silence and harass critical voices, violating our nation’s sovereignty and rule of law.”
The report notes that the 2024 election cycle “will be an attractive target for many adversaries.”
Former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has been hacked by Iranians, and three assassination attempts, including one by a Pakistani with ties to Iran, have been thwarted. He was recently briefed on the Iranian assassination plot.
DHS has identified some domestic violent extremists as targeting the violence with the goal of “instilling fear in voters, candidates, and election officials and disrupting the electoral process leading up to and following the November election.” states that it is possible. Negative foreign forces aligned with nation-states will continue to undermine our democracy with the goal of influencing the preferences of American voters, exacerbating social tensions, and undermining confidence in the integrity of our democratic institutions and electoral processes. It is almost certain that they will continue to target processes. ”
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The report also said that America’s adversaries, including China, Russia and Iran, “will almost certainly continue to threaten the integrity of our nation’s critical infrastructure through devastating and devastating cyber and physical attacks.” Pointed out. The report said these countries “remain the most pressing foreign threats to our nation’s critical infrastructure,” and DHS warned that China is “preparing the United States for potential cyberattacks in the event of a conflict with the United States.” We look forward to continuing our efforts to pre-deploy our networks.” US. ”
DHS says China “remains our nation’s greatest economic security threat due to its aggressive use of anticompetitive and coercive policies and the theft of U.S. intellectual property, technology, and trade secrets.” ” and warned that supply chains remain vulnerable to foreign manipulation from abroad.
The report was also released after the U.S. House Oversight Committee. A summons was issued We asked DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for information regarding Democratic vice presidential candidate Governor Tim Walz’s alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Syndicated with permission From the center square.
