U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies next to FBI Director Christopher Wray and National Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing on threats to the United States, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 31, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
FBI Director Christopher Wray, speaking at a congressional hearing, expressed concerns about the recent actions of Hamas against Israel, indicating that they could serve as a significant source of inspiration for terrorist threats to the United States. He pointed out that since the commencement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza, multiple foreign terrorist organizations have issued calls for attacks against Americans and the Western world. This situation has heightened the threat posed by homegrown U.S. violent extremists.
Wray suggested that the influence of Hamas and its allies could potentially match or exceed the level of inspiration that was seen when ISIS established its self-proclaimed caliphate a few years ago.
These statements were made during a hearing held by the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which centered on assessing threats to the United States. Additionally, it has been noted that the U.S. government has observed an increase in threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab American communities following the eruption of hostilities in Gaza.
Furthermore, there has been an escalation in attacks on U.S. military bases located abroad by militia groups with ties to Iran. Director Wray also expressed concerns about the likelihood of cyberattacks against the United States by Iran and non-state actors intensifying if the conflict in the region were to expand.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations has not provided an immediate response to these concerns.
During the hearing, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas highlighted the rise in hate incidents targeted at Jewish students in the United States as a result of the conflict in Gaza. This has contributed to a general increase in instances of antisemitism. The White House has expressed alarm at reports of anti-Jewish incidents occurring at U.S. universities, prompting university officials to enhance security measures.
Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican, questioned Mayorkas regarding the status of a U.S. asylum officer who had allegedly made anti-Israel social media posts. Mayorkas clarified that the officer had been placed on leave but not fired, and he strongly disapproved of the officer’s reported views, referring to them as “despicable.” He also noted that these posts did not represent the stance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and mentioned that his own mother was a Holocaust survivor.
Furthermore, during a ransomware summit organized by the White House, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the Justice Department had been directed to provide assistance to Israeli investigators who were examining financial flows to Hamas, including transactions involving cryptocurrency.
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