The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a warn A possible terrorist attack by the radical Islamic terrorist organization Al Qaeda before the upcoming 9/11 anniversary. On Friday, the agency warned that while domestic terrorism remains a threat, the commemoration of the 9/11 attacks may also inspire foreign radical extremists.
In the announcement, the Department of Homeland Security wrote:
20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attack [as] The religious festivals we assessed may become a catalyst for targeted violence.
The statement continued:
Before the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula recently published the first English edition of Inspire magazine in more than four years, which shows that foreign terrorist organizations continue to work hard to inspire individuals vulnerable to violent extremism in the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security also explained that terrorist organizations can use the COVID-19 pandemic as a motive for launching attacks. It states that they can “take advantage of the emergence of variants of COVID-19 by considering the possibility of re-establishing public health restrictions in the United States as a reason for an attack.”
The statement stated that the reopening of US institutions may also provide opportunities for terrorist attacks. The Department of Homeland Security explained:
The reopening of institutions, including schools, and several religiously significant dates in the coming months may also provide more opportunities for violence, although no credible or imminent threats to these locations have been identified.
The report also pointed out that terrorist organizations continue to use “online communities” to inflame people and share information about how to make explosives and other weapons. The Department of Homeland Security stated:
Ideological violent extremists, fueled by personal grievances and extreme ideological beliefs, continue to consume information shared in certain online communities to gain inspiration and obtain operational guidance.
The agency also explained that U.S. opponents, including Russia, China, and Iran, “amplified conspiracy theories about the origin of COVID-19” and “call for violence against Asians.”
In the past few years, attention to radical Islamic terrorism has been put aside, especially after the Trump administration’s near-fatal strikes against other terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State (ISIS) and al-Qaeda. The FBI is more concerned about domestic terrorism threats from white supremacists and other hate groups.
However, this statement shows the seriousness of the actions that Al Qaeda may carry out. In fact, the fact that the organization seems to be making a comeback may cause serious problems for the Department of Homeland Security and the Biden administration as a whole.
It is also worth speculating that the return of terrorist organizations may be due to the perception that President Joe Biden is different from his predecessor and is unlikely to take a strong stance against these organizations. In fact, they might believe that Biden’s weakness will be a signal that they can get away with it.
In September 2020, Christopher Miller, then director of the National Counter-Terrorism Center, wrote an article Report Acknowledge that the remnants of al-Qaeda “are still active all over the world.” However, he also stated that the organization “can still direct others to commit violent acts” but “can no longer carry out large-scale attacks.”
If this information is accurate, then another 9/11 event seems unlikely to be coming. However, this does not mean that terrorist organizations cannot carry out attacks that shock the country. Over the years, the Islamic State has successfully launched several different attacks. Although these events did not have such an impact on the country as 9/11 did, more events may lead to more destructive events.
It is also important to note that the Taliban may still maintain contact with Al Qaeda.One NBC News The report stated that “although the insurgents signed an agreement with the United States a year ago that prohibits cooperation with terrorist organizations or the containment of terrorist organizations, the Taliban’s ties with Al Qaeda continue.”
It can be speculated that those who oppose President Joe Biden’s decision to end the war in Afghanistan may use this threat to force him to reconsider. They may argue that withdrawing troops will allow the organization to regain strength.
On the other hand, Daniel Byman of the Brookings Institution Washington post Since 9/11, Al Qaeda has been trying to carry out more attacks in the United States, but failed.
So should we be afraid?
It’s hard to predict. However, although Al Qaeda is trying to restore its prominence, they still seem unlikely to succeed. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security has thwarted a large number of their attacks. The organization may successfully launch an attack in the United States, but it is unlikely. Nevertheless, it is important to be vigilant.
