Lone Offenders and Small Groups Continue to Pose a Persistent Threat –

Staff Report –

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Be on the lookout for violent threats from domestic and foreign terrorists, according to a new National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin issued Wednesday.

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas issued the National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin regarding the continued heightened threat environment across the United States, the eighth NTAS Bulletin issued by the Department of Homeland Security since January 2021. It replaces the current Bulletin that was set to expire at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

“Recent tragic events highlight the continued heightened threat environment our nation faces, and these threats are driven by violent extremists who seek to further their ideological beliefs and personal grievances,” Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in the announcement.

“We are working with partners across every level of government, within the private sector, and in local communities to keep Americans safe,” he said. “We will continue to share information and intelligence, equip communities with training and resources, and fund security enhancement and prevention efforts through millions of dollars in grant funding.”

Lone offenders and small groups motivated by a range of ideological beliefs and personal grievances continue to pose a persistent threat to the United States, he said. Both domestic violent extremists and those associated with foreign terrorist organizations continue to attempt to motivate supporters to conduct attacks, including through violent extremist messaging and online calls for violence.

In the coming months, DHS expects the threat environment to remain heightened and that individuals may be motivated to violence by perceptions of the 2024 general election cycle and legislative or judicial decisions pertaining to sociopolitical issues. U.S. critical infrastructure, faith-based institutions, individuals or events associated with the LGBTQIA+-community, schools, racial and ethnic minorities, and government facilities and personnel are likely targets of potential violence.

One Recent Example

Man with Nazi flag who crashed U-Haul near White House praised Hitler

A 19-year-old Missouri man with a Nazi flag who police say crashed a rented U-Haul truck into a barrier near the White House on Monday night told authorities he planned to seize power and kill the president if he had to, according to newly released court records, according to reporting from The Washington Post.

Sai Varshith Kandula

The man, identified as Sai Varshith Kandula, told police he bought the flag because “Nazis have a great history” and he admired their “authoritarian nature, Eugenics, and their one world order,” according to the court document. He called Adolf Hitler “a strong leader” and said he would “hurt anyone that would stand in my way,” the court document says.

But the document — a statement of facts attested to by a Secret Service agent — says Kandula was not carrying any weapons or ammunition, and no explosives were found in his U-Haul. After twice striking the metal bollards on H Street NW near 16th Street, he got out, and an officer ordered him to the ground and detained him, the document says.

The impact with the barriers, which prevent vehicles from entering Lafayette Square north of the White House, left the front end of the U-Haul smoking and leaking, the document says.

U.S. Park Police, which has jurisdiction at Lafayette Square, said early Tuesday that Kandula was arrested on charges that included threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on the president, vice president or a family member; assault with a dangerous weapon; and trespassing. But court records show he is facing just one count of destruction of property pertaining to the damaged bollards.

Kandula — who lives in the St. Louis suburb of Chesterfield, Mo., and graduated from high school last year — made a brief appearance in D.C. Superior Court on Tuesday. He is to be arraigned in federal court in the District on Wednesday.

DHS works with partners across every level of government, in the private sector, and in local communities to keep Americans safe, providing resources and support, including the following:

DHS and the FBI continue to share timely and actionable information and intelligence with the broadest audience. This includes sharing information and intelligence with our partners across every level of government and in the private sector. We conduct recurring threat briefings with private sector, state, local, tribal, territorial, and campus partners, including to inform security planning efforts. DHS remains committed to working with our partners to identify and prevent all forms of targeted violence and terrorism, and to support law enforcement efforts to keep our communities safe.

DHS, in collaboration with its federal partners, launched the Prevention Resource Finder (PRF) website in March 2023. The PRF is a comprehensive web repository of federal resources available to help communities understand, mitigate, and protect themselves from targeted violence and terrorism.

The DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships continues to engage a coalition of faith-based and community organizations, including members of the Faith-based Security Advisory Council (FBSAC), which DHS reconstituted in July 2022, to help build the capacity of faith-based and community organizations seeking to protect their places of worship and community spaces.

DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A), the FBI, and the National Counterterrorism Center in 2021 jointly updated behavioral indicators of U.S. extremist mobilization to violence. Further, I&A’s National Threat Evaluation and Reporting Program continues to provide tools and resources for federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners on preventing terrorism and targeted violence, including online suspicious activity reporting training.

DHS’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Intermodal Security Training and Exercise Program (I-STEP) and Exercise Information System (EXIS®) work with government and private sector partners – including owners and operators of critical transportation infrastructure – to enhance security and reduce risks posed by acts of terrorism.

DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) works with government and private sector partners – including owners and operators of critical infrastructure and public gathering places – to enhance security and mitigate risks posed by acts of terrorism and targeted violence through its network of Protective Security Advisors and resources addressing Active Shooters, School Safety, Bombing Prevention, and Soft Targets-Crowded Places.

DHS’s Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) educates and trains stakeholders on how to identify indicators of radicalization to violence, where to seek help, and the resources that are available to prevent targeted violence and In 2022, CP3 awarded about $20 million in grants through its Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program. To date, over 100 applicants and more than $50 million in grant funds have been requested for the FY23 grant cycle.

In 2021, 2022, and 2023 DHS designated domestic violent extremism as a “National Priority Area” within its Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), enabling our partners to access critical funds that help prevent, prepare for, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from related threats.

In 2022, DHS’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provided over $250 million in funding to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements to non-profit organizations at high risk of terrorist attack.

gov consolidates school safety-related resources from across the government. Through this website, the K-12 academic community can also connect with school safety officials and develop school safety plans.

This NTAS Bulletin will expire on November 24, 2023. This NTAS Bulletin provides the public with information about the threat landscape facing the United States, how to stay safe, and resources and tools to help prevent an individual’s radicalization to violence. The public should report any suspicious activity or threats of violence to local law enforcement, FBI Field Offices, or a local Fusion Center.

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