(ProsperNews.net) – Since the Oct. 7 surprise attacks on Israel, threats against Jews and Muslims have been on the rise in the US, FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Sunday.
Wray and other FBI officials held a rare phone briefing with reporters on Sunday, during which he warned that the “threat picture” in the US “continues to evolve.” CBS News reported.
Director Wray told reporters that federal law enforcement is not ruling out the possibility that terrorist organizations like Hamas might exploit the events in Israel to urge supporters to launch attacks on US soil.
According to Wray, Jewish and Muslim communities, places of worship, and institutions have received threats that the FBI is quickly moving to “mitigate.”
While speaking to the International Associations of Chiefs of Police on Saturday, the FBI Director also warned of an “increase in reported threats,” and said law enforcement must be “on the lookout” for “lone actors” inspired by the events in Israel to commit violence.
He urged law enforcement to remain vigilant, noting that local law enforcement is “often the first to see the signs that someone may be mobilizing to violence.”
The FBI officials told reporters that while most of the threats aren’t credible, some must be addressed. They said the bureau’s primary concern is for the lone wolf actor who is typically not on the radar of law enforcement.
The officials said that since last week’s Hamas attacks, there has been an increase in threats against both Jewish and Muslim facilities.
Director Wray said the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force are working to mitigate the threats and keep the communities safe.
The Sunday press call comes just two days after US cities braced for possible violence after former Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal called for an international “Day of Rage” on Friday, Oct. 13 in support of Hamas.
Director Wray told reporters that the FBI would not “tolerate violence motivated by hate and extremism.”
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