FBI, DHS warn Oct 7 anniversary may be a ‘motivating factor’ for ‘violent extremists’ to ‘engage in violence’

According to the agencies, the PSA was “to highlight potential threats in the United States from a variety of actors in response to the one-year anniversary of the HAMAS attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and consistent calls by foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) to their supporters seeking to provoke violence in the West.”

The announcement added that the FBI and DHS “assess the one-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attacks that initiated the ongoing Israel-HAMAS conflict, as well as any further significant escalations in the conflict, may be a motivating factor for violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators to engage in violence or threaten public safety.”

Over the past year since Palestinian terrorists invaded Israel, raped, tortured, and murdered over 1,200 people and kidnapped over 250, more US intelligence agencies “have observed violent extremist activity and hate crimes in the United States linked to the conflict. Jewish, Muslim, or Arab institutions — including synagogues, mosques/Islamic centers, and community centers — and large public gatherings, such as memorials, vigils, or other lawful demonstrations, present attractive targets for violent attacks or for hoax threats by a variety of threat actors, including violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators. Such actors may view the anniversary as an opportunity to conduct an attack or other high-profile, illegal activity.”

44 Americans were killed during the Oct. 7 massacre and as many as 8 are believed to still be held hostage in Gaza. One American was killed by Hamas terrorists while he was in captivity.

Over the weekend, anti-Israel activists took to the streets across the US and Canada, praising the Oct 7 attacks and calling for an end to the Jewish state.

The FBI and DHS cautioned that “FTOs and other violent extremists likely will continue to exploit narratives related to the conflict to call for lone attackers to conduct violence in the United States. Online messaging associated with FTOs and other violent extremists highlighting the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks could motivate threat actors across ideologies, including those who espouse violent anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, to engage in violence. Individuals inspired by this online messaging could act alone to commit an attack with little to no warning.”