COVID-19 is endangering American lives in more ways than one.
Not only is the deadly virus spreading at an alarming rate, it’s also exposing U.S. citizens to the threat of terrorism by ISIS.
That’s according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which sent a warning memo to law enforcement agencies all across America –informing them that terrorist groups could strike as the country deals with the pandemic.
The DHS Counterterrorism Mission Center and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office statement read:
“Violent extremists probably are seeking to exploit public fears associated with the spread of COVID-19 to incite violence, intimidate targets and promote their ideologies, and we assess these efforts will intensify in the coming months.”
The terroristic threats that officials discovered were disturbing.
The memo highlighted various indications of terror, including threats from ISIS, which has encouraged its supporters to “carry out attacks against overburdened health care systems in various Western countries,” according to ABC News.
Online White Supremacists we’re also noted for inciting violence against faith-based minority communities, as well as critical infrastructures.
Perhaps most notably, officials are saying that terror threats – whether they’re carried out or not – are expected to increase in the future.
ABC News had even reported that Neo-Nazis were encouraging those who had COVID-19 to Jewish people and police officers, according to an FBI investigation.
The good news: DHS says it currently has “no information indicating any active plotting is underway.”
The Horn editorial team