FBI Director Christopher Wray warned of increased reported threats in the United States after the Hamas attack against Israel and the risk of lone actor copycat attacks.

“I want to take a moment to offer my heartfelt condolences to the people of Israel, and share the outrage that I know we all feel at the sheer brutality and disregard for innocent lives there. History has been witness to antisemitic and other forms of violent extremism for far too long,” Wray said at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in San Diego, California.

“Whether that be from foreign terrorist organizations, or those inspired by them, or domestic violent extremists motivated by their own racial animus, the targeting of a community because of their faith is totally unacceptable. We remain committed to continue confronting those threats—both here in the United States and overseas,” he continued.

“In this heightened environment, there’s no question we’re seeing an increase in reported threats, and we’ve got to be on the lookout, especially for lone actors who may take inspiration from recent events to commit violence of their own. So I encourage you to stay vigilant, because as the first line of defense in protecting our communities, you’re often the first to see the signs that someone may be mobilizing to violence,” he added.

WATCH:

Just the News reports:

Wray’s remarks came exactly one week after Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel, killing more than 1,400 civilians, including at least 29 U.S. citizens, as well as women, children and the elderly in the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust.

The FBI has not formally updated its threat assessment since last week, when the agency said it “does not have specific and credible intelligence indicating a threat to the United States stemming from the Hamas attacks in Israel.”

The FBI wrote in a prior statement that it did “not have specific and credible intelligence indicating a threat to the United States.”

Per the FBI:

“While the FBI does not have specific and credible intelligence indicating a threat to the United States stemming from the Hamas attacks in Israel, we are closely monitoring unfolding events and will share relevant information with our state, local, federal and international law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security partners to ensure they are prepared for any impacts to public safety. We will not hesitate to adjust our security posture, as appropriate, to protect the American people.

We are closely coordinating with our counterparts in the region as well as other international partners. Through our Legal Attaché office in Israel, FBI personnel are working with our partners on the ground to locate and identify any impacted Americans. Reports of deceased, injured, or unaccounted for Americans are being treated with the utmost urgency and aggressively investigated. The FBI’s Victim Services Division is coordinating with the Department of State to assist, as necessary, with family engagement.”

According to CBS News, Jews and Muslims, as well as their institutions and houses of worship, have received threats.

From CBS News:

Senior FBI officials said most of the threats are not credible, and some have been addressed. As Wray suggested, the bureau’s biggest concern is a lone wolf-style assailant who is not on their radars.

This type of threat is best addressed through tips from the public, the officials said. They told reporters that there have been threats against Muslim facilities as well as Jewish facilities. Threats against Muslim centers are up, although the level of antisemitic threats is also spiking.

The FBI is working through Joint Terrorism Task Forces to mitigate threats and keep these communities safe, Wray said.

The FBI director twice said that he was “horrified…by the brutality committed at the hands of Hamas” and said that countering terrorism is the bureau’s No. 1 priority. “We will not tolerate violence motivated by hate and extremism, he said.

Wray also said that the bureau’s legal attaché office in Tel Aviv is working with Israeli and U.S. Embassy partners “to locate and identify all Americans who’ve been impacted in the region, including those who remain unaccounted for.” He added that victim services specialists are working with victims and their families at home and abroad.

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