Federal law enforcement agencies across the country, along with their state and local counterparts, have been told by officials within the FBI and the US Department of Homeland Security to be on high alert for terrorist attacks that could be perpetrated by the Islamic militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
According to federal law enforcement officials, there have not been any credible threats made by the group or any other terrorist organizations in and of themselves, but intelligence reports have suggested that there is a very real possibility that attacks could be perpetrated by ISIS sympathizers who are currently in the United States.
Most people know the Islamic State by its former name, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. The group regularly uses social media websites as well as other internet outlets to maintain its recruitment efforts and proliferate its beliefs and ideologies around the globe.
Federal law enforcement agencies in particular, because of their vast resources relative to other levels of law enforcement, have been asked to look for travel activity and social media content that seems suspicious or out of the ordinary. The agencies are reminded that while content that does not explicitly mention intended acts of violence is protected by the constitution, they are still on high alert for content that advocates extremist behavior or alludes to specific locations in the context of being a target.
Federal law enforcement officials point out that the 13th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks is on the horizon and may constitute an uptick in internet chatter and other indicators that would signal a possible strike against “the Homeland”. Additionally, it is believed that there may be plans among certain terrorist organizations to perpetrate retaliatory strikes against the United States following President Obama’s recent announcement of targeted airstrikes on Iraq.