FBI Issues Public Safety Warning for the Holidays

The FBI and two other federal agencies issued a public safety warning on Tuesday, claiming that the threat of violence in the United States is heightened for the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The bureau, along with the Department of Homeland Security and National Counterterrorism Center, cited the ongoing Israel-Hamas war as a potential trigger for attacks. The agencies, however, did not point to any specific plot. “FBI and DHS assess that ongoing tensions related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas likely heighten the threat of lone actor violence targeting large public gatherings throughout the winter, including holiday-related, faith-based, New Year’s Eve, and First Amendment protected events related to the conflict,” the three agencies said in a statement. “Although this announcement is not in response to any specific plotting activity, these targets likely remain attractive to lone actors inspired by a range of ideologies due to their accessibility and symbolic nature.”...