Speaking to senators, Christopher Wray acknowledged that the terrorist threat level has increased in 2023, and since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas, a designated terrorist organization in the United States, the risks of attacks against Americans in the United States themselves United have increased. have increased.
“Following the horrific terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against innocent people in Israel several weeks ago, we are working around the clock to support our partners and protect Americans here at home,” Wray said.
“Here in the United States, our greatest concern is that violent extremists – individuals or small groups – will draw strength from events in the Middle East to carry out attacks against Americans going about their daily lives. This includes not only extremists emboldened by a foreign terrorist organization, but also domestic extremists attacking Jewish or Muslim communities. We’ve already seen this with the man we arrested last week in Houston, who was learning how to make bombs and posting on the Internet his support for murdering Jews. And the tragic murder of a six-year-old Muslim boy in Illinois, which we are investigating as a federal hate crime,” the FBI director added.
Wray emphasized that while there is no information that Hamas militants are planning to launch attacks inside the United States, the department will not “rule out the possibility that Hamas or another terrorist organization could use the current conflict to carry out attacks in the United States.” “.
