Nine years ago, terrorists in Libya used the anniversary of 9/11 as a jumping-off point to kill four American diplomats in the country, including the U.S. ambassador.
A Senate report released later that year noted that the U.S. intelligence community had gathered a large volume of evidence about a possible attack, but that it was too vague to lead U.S. officials in Libya to focus on securing the mission at Benghazi.
Now, for the upcoming 20th anniversary of 9/11, the Biden administration is not making the same mistake.
Current officials see the threat clearly – and it’s right here at home.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released its latest National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin.
Although DHS could not identify a specific threat or group that might carry out an attack, it noted that the “challenging threat environment” ahead of the sorrowful anniversary, includes “domestic terrorists, individuals and groups engaged in grievance-based violence, and those inspired or motivated by foreign terrorists and other malign foreign influences.”
“These actors are increasingly exploiting online forums to influence and spread violent extremist narratives and promote violent activity. …These extremists may seek to exploit the emergence of COVID-19 variants by viewing the potential re-establishment of public health restrictions across the United States as a rationale to conduct attacks.”
“Law enforcement,” the report continues, “have expressed concerns that the broader sharing of false narratives and conspiracy theories will gain traction in mainstream environments, resulting in individuals or small groups embracing violent tactics to achieve their desired objectives. With a diverse array of threats, DHS is concerned that increased outbreaks of violence in some locations, as well as targeted attacks against law enforcement, may strain local resources.”
DHS shared that it is responding in several ways.
One is to “continue to identify and evaluate calls for violence, including online activity associated with the spread of disinformation, conspiracy theories, and false narratives, by known or suspected threat actors and provide updated information, as necessary.”
Another is to advance “authoritative sources of information to debunk and, when possible, preempt false narratives and intentional disinformation, and [keep] providing educational materials to promote resilience to the risks associated with interacting with and spreading disinformation, conspiracy theories and false narratives.”
The interesting thing is how the media interpreted this.
NBC News, for example, said DHS is concerned about the “rise of anti-government” rhetoric, especially as it applies to opposition to mandatory COVID-19 masking or vaccine policies, and as well as claims of election fraud related to 2020, or that Donald Trump will be “reinstated” as president.
In other words, oppose a school board mandate to make your kids wear a mask or just suggest that the election was “stolen,” DHS will drop in its domestic terrorist basket.
ICYMI:
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