Alert Number: I-100424-PSA
October 04, 2024
Anniversary of October 7, 2023 HAMAS Attacks May Motivate Individuals to Violence in the United States
SUMMARY
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are issuing this Public Service Announcement to highlight potential threats in the United States from a variety of actors in response to the one-year anniversary of the HAMAS attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and consistent calls by foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) to their supporters seeking to provoke violence in the West.
THREAT
The FBI and DHS assess the one-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attacks that initiated the ongoing Israel-HAMAS conflict, as well as any further significant escalations in the conflict, may be a motivating factor for violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators to engage in violence or threaten public safety. Over the past year, we have observed violent extremist activity and hate crimes1 in the United States linked to the conflict. Jewish, Muslim, or Arab institutions — including synagogues, mosques/Islamic centers, and community centers — and large public gatherings, such as memorials, vigils, or other lawful demonstrations, present attractive targets for violent attacks or for hoax threats by a variety of threat actors, including violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators. Such actors may view the anniversary as an opportunity to conduct an attack or other high-profile, illegal activity.
FTOs and other violent extremists likely will continue to exploit narratives related to the conflict to call for lone attackers to conduct violence in the United States. Online messaging associated with FTOs and other violent extremists highlighting the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks could motivate threat actors across ideologies, including those who espouse violent anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, to engage in violence. Individuals inspired by this online messaging could act alone to commit an attack with little to no warning.
RESOURCES
- Call 911 to report emergencies, including imminent threats to life.
- Be aware of your surroundings at all times and report suspicious activities to the authorities.
- The FBI and DHS encourage the public to promptly report information concerning suspicious activity to tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
- For concerns involving US citizens abroad, to include reporting missing persons or individuals taken as hostages, please call the Department of State’s Overseas Citizens Services (OCS) toll-free hotline at [(888) 407-4747](tel:(888) 407-4747) or complete Crisis Intake Form at https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake.
1The FBI defines a hate crime as a crime motivated by bias against race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. Hate crimes fall within FBI’s legal authorities. Some hate crimes meet the DHS and FBI definition of domestic terrorism but hate crimes can also be committed without the intent required for terrorist acts, as terrorism generally requires a broader intended effect outside the individual victim. Intelligence and analysis may collect and report on hate crimes to the extent that they constitute or inform an understanding of reportable targeted violence. 
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