The United States’ Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday issued a nationwide terrorism alert, citing the potential threat from domestic anti-government extremists opposed to Joe Biden as president.
“Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence,” said the bulletin issued by by acting Homeland Security Secretary David Pekoske.
The department did not cite any specific potential attack, but mentioned “a heightened threat environment across the United States” that it believes “will persist” for weeks. The alert, which came into effect effect on Wednesday, will expire on April 30.
The bulletin specifically mentioned a 2019 shooting in El Paso in Texas, that killed 23 people and the recent attack at the Capitol building, as it pointed towards “racial and ethnic tension” and threat to elected officials and government facilities.
Following the attack on Capitol building earlier this month, it had emerged that supporters of former President Donald Trump had openly discussed the idea of the protests on social media. A mob had stormed the Capitol building as members of the Congress were meeting to certify the results of the 2020 presidential elections.
The bulletin held significance, according to the AP, as it suggested that the Biden administration regarded incidents of violence, like in the Capitol building, as terrorism. The bulletin is an indication that national security officials see a connective thread between different episodes of violence in the last year motivated by anti-government grievances, including over Covid-19 restrictions, the 2020 election results and police use of force, according to AP.
Speaking on the bulletin, Congressman Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, who is also the chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, said that the Capitol attack “shined a light on a threat” that was imminent for years, The Guardian reported.
“I am glad to see that DHS [Department of Homeland Security] fully recognises the threat posed by violent, right wing extremists and is taking efforts to communicate that threat to the American people,” he said.
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