The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday issued a “bulletin” warning the public that the Islamic State is trying to radicalize Americans through the Internet and social media, and calling for more public awareness of the possibility of these threats.
“We’re in a new phase in the global terrorist threat, which has implications on the homeland,” DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said. “Particularly with the rise in use by terrorist groups of the Internet to inspire and recruit, we are concerned about the self-radicalized actors that can strike with little or no notice.”
“Recent attacks and attempted attacks internationally and in the homeland warrant increased security, as well as increased public vigilance and awareness,” he said.
“Though we know of no intelligence that is both specific and credible at this time of a plot by terrorist organizations to attack the homeland, the reality is terrorists inspired by individuals have conducted or have attempted to conduct attacks in the United States this year,” he added. “DHS is especially concerned that homegrown extremists may be encouraged or inspired to target public events or places.”
Johnson added that his department is also worried about possible threats to “particular communities” in the U.S. based on “perceived religion, ethnicity or nationality.”
He said DHS and the FBI are working with state and local officials on how to boost security measures to address these threats. He also said the bulletin had a duration of six months during which these heightened steps will be noticed.
“The public should expect an increased presence of law enforcement across communities in the weeks ahead,” he said. “More stringent security should also be anticipated at public places and events.”
“This may include a heavy police presence, additional restrictions and searches on bags and the use of screening technologies,” he said.
The DHS bulletin is a new form of terror warning that the department just created. Johnson said it’s an intermediate step in the National Terrorism Advisory System, which was created in 2011 but has never been deployed.
The NTAS system replaced the “color bars” graphic created in 2002, which many criticized for failing to be specific enough.
Under the NTAS system, bulletins are the lowest form of alert level, and are followed by elevated alerts and imminent alerts. Elevated alerts will be issued when there is deemed to be a credible terrorist threat, and an imminent alert is reserved for pending threats.
DHS said last week it would tweak the NTAS system in some way to respond to the kind of threats the U.S. is facing from terrorists, especially in the wake of the Dec. 2 shooting in San Bernardino, Calif.
