Prime American counterterrorism officers on Thursday mentioned there was no credible or particular intelligence pointing to a present menace to america associated to the Hamas terrorist assaults on Israel or the following warfare.
Nonetheless, intelligence officers have been nonetheless assessing the potential impression inside america of a Hamas name for protests within the subsequent few days.
“We’re additionally conscious of knowledge on the web a couple of Hamas name for motion or demonstrations,” Christopher A. Wray, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, mentioned on Thursday. “And we’re working to substantiate whether or not there’s any validity to that info.” Mr. Wray was talking throughout a seminar hosted by the Safe Group Community, a corporation that gives session and help on security issues to Jewish communities throughout North America.
“We can’t and don’t low cost the likelihood that Hamas, or different overseas terrorist organizations, may exploit the battle to name on their supporters to conduct assaults right here on our personal soil,” he mentioned.
Monitoring for threats entails sifting by rhetoric on-line and searching for info that signifies a particular plan, like particulars a couple of time and place, and assessing whether or not any purported plotters have the potential to hold out an assault, a Homeland Safety official, talking on situation of anonymity, mentioned throughout a name with reporters on Thursday night.
Because the Hamas assaults on Israel on Saturday, U.S. counterterrorism officers have been reaching out to hundreds of state and native legislation enforcement officers and non secular leaders to debate the potential impression of the assaults inside america. This contains sharing intelligence and providing steering and help in shoring up safety at mosques and synagogues and different public gathering locations the place individuals might be in danger.
On Thursday, officers from the F.B.I., the Division of Homeland Safety and the Nationwide Counterterrorism Heart held a name with about 4,000 legislation enforcement officers from across the nation, a homeland safety official mentioned. The official, who was licensed to talk solely on situation of anonymity to share delicate particulars, mentioned participation was terribly excessive, a sign of the broad sense of urgency on safety points across the nation.
“The fact by which we’re gathered right now is that this: Jewish individuals in our nation and the world over are once more traumatized, once more afraid for their very own security and for the protection of their family members,” Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the Homeland Safety secretary, mentioned on Thursday throughout a speech to a gaggle of sports activities leaders hosted by the Basis to Fight Antisemitism.
Hate crimes in opposition to Jewish individuals and establishments in america have been already on the rise, Mr. Wray mentioned, and had continued to take action because the Hamas assaults. Over the weekend, Mr. Wray mentioned, the F.B.I. relayed a tip about threats to some faith-based group facilities, together with a Jewish Senior Providers Heart in Connecticut.
“We instantly kicked into motion and labored with companions in that space to mitigate that menace to these communities and guarantee our faith-based companions had what they wanted,” Mr. Wray mentioned.
