Terrorists ‘could target grocery stores, hospitals and testing sites’ during coronavirus lockdowns
HOMELAND Security is warning Americans that terrorists could attack during coronavirus lockdowns — and are encouraging people to remain “vigilant” and be aware.
Grocery stores, gas stations or even coronavirus testing sites , according to federal authorities.
“Now is the time to engage community businesses and other stakeholders to encourage vigilance and awareness,” Brian Harrell, assistant director for infrastructure protection for the department, .
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said in a notice issued on Friday that “it is imperative that for potential individuals triggered by the pandemic to inflict further harm, and [that agencies] provide residents with information that can augment .”
"There are currently no imminent or credible threats, there has been an increase in intended to incite violence and/or use the ongoing situation as an excuse to inflict hate.”
The notice went on to say the "potential threat environment" has changed, with "public gathering areas" transitioning "to COVID-19 mobile screening stations, gas stations, still-open houses of worship, grocery stores, and other retailers that have been approved to do business.”
Weeks ago, the FBI, Homeland Security and National Counterterrorism Center issued a similar statement that noted grocery stores and businesses that are still running could be targeted by terrorists, according to ABC News.
Both and have seen the coronavirus as a threat, but some fighters see the pandemic as an opportunity to win over more supporters and strike harder than before.
Al Qaeda suggested in a statement in March that non-Muslims should use their time in quarantine to learn about Islam.
But ISIS said in its newsletter in mid-March that its followers should show no mercy and launch terror attacks in this time of crisis.
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Homeland Security officials said that conspiracy theorists are claiming the coronavirus outbreak is a “government-perpetrated hoax,” while other “conspiratorial narratives [are] assigning blame for the pandemic to a Jewish conspiracy or China.
Security officials said this strengthens “the risk of retaliatory violence against Jewish Americans and Asian Americans.”
The department also said that some white supremacists and anti-government extremists are also claiming the U.S. government’s response to the virus could “hasten societal collapse” and “lead to a race war.”
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