A Department of Homeland Security memo released on Tuesday paints a grim picture for the U.S. in the coming summer months.
The memo warns of a “heightened threat environment” over the next several months, adding that the department will be monitoring for risks of domestic terrorism and foreign actors attempting to disrupt the country and promote acts of violence.
“The United States remains in a heightened threat environment, as noted in the previous Bulletin, and several recent attacks have highlighted the dynamic and complex nature of the threat environment,” DHS said in a new bulletin from the National Terrorism Advisory System.
“In the coming months, we expect the threat environment to become more dynamic as several high-profile events could be exploited to justify acts of violence against a range of possible targets,” DHS said.
Potential targets listed in the bulletin include “public gatherings, faith-based institutions, schools, racial and religious minorities, government facilities and personnel, U.S. critical infrastructure, the media, and perceived ideological opponents.”
“Threat actors have recently mobilized to violence due to factors such as personal grievances, reactions to current events, and adherence to violent extremist ideologies, including racially or ethnically motivated or anti-government/anti-authority violent extremism,” said the warning.
The department stressed that “foreign adversaries—including terrorist organizations and nation-state adversaries—also remain intent on exploiting the threat environment to promote or inspire violence, sow discord, or undermine U.S. democratic institutions.”
“We continue to assess that the primary threat of mass casualty violence in the United States stems from lone offenders and small groups motivated by a range of ideological beliefs and/or personal grievances,” the bulletin adds.
Fox News :
The update from DHS Tuesday reiterated from its previous bulletin that individuals both for and against abortion online have advocated for violence against government, religious, and reproductive healthcare personnel, and facilities in response to the high-profile U.S. Supreme Court case.
“Chinese, Iranian, Russian, and other foreign malign influence actors have sought to contribute to U.S. internal discord and weaken its focus and position internationally,” the DHS said. “As the U.S. 2022 mid-term elections approach, malign foreign actors could bolster their messaging to sow discord and influence U.S. audiences in keeping with practices during previous election cycles.”
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