DETROIT – Federal investigators are on heightened alert as the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks approaches.
They are worried hate and extremists groups looking to exploit the pandemic and they have concerns about the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
The expert the Local 4 Defenders spoke with said Afghanistan has just turned up the heat on what the intelligence community is tracking to protect citizens.
Homeland Security recently released a new threat bulletin regarding “the current heightened threat environment across the United States.”
Andy Arena is the Executive Director of the Detroit Crime Commission. Arena said the intelligence community is looking at every possible threat to national security, both domestic and international.
Homeland Security said it worries extremists may try to exploit the COVID-19 variants by viewing the potential return of public health restrictions as rationale to conduct an attack.
As for the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, Arena said Al Qaeda and ISIS types of groups will use the anniversary as propaganda.
“I think that they’re gonna use all of this to recruit and to radicalize another generation,” Arena said.
Homeland Security stresses that everyone can help by reporting suspicious activity or threats of violence.
“I tell people all the time, you just have to be cognizant of your environment. Take a few seconds every time you walk into any location and look at the exits and look at what’s going on. Be cognizant of what’s going on around you. Believe your eyes and your ears when you hear or see something,” Arena said.
Homeland Security says stay informed so you don’t fall for false narratives posted on social media.