As tensions escalate in the Middle East following the outbreak of war in Gaza on October 7, and with growing international fears of a resurgence in terrorist attacks, particularly in Europe, the United States has renewed its warnings. FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized the increasing concern about the potential of an attack similar to the one that occurred in Moscow last month, which was claimed by ISIS Khorasan.
In a public interview with NBC on Wednesday, Wray reiterated what he had previously stated: the terrorist threat has heightened since October 7. He pointed out that both individual radicals and small groups within the United States have become extremist due to the Israeli war on Gaza. He also noted a rising concern about the possibility of a coordinated terrorist attack in public spaces, a scenario intelligence officials had dismissed over the past decade as unlikely.
The bloody attack that took place at the end of last month (March 2024) involved shooting civilians with live ammunition and setting fires by detonating bombs at Crocus City Hall, approximately 20 kilometers from the Kremlin, resulting in about 150 deaths and 285 injuries. This attack, claimed by ISIS, has prompted several European governments to raise their security alert levels in anticipation of similar attacks on their soil. Western security officials, well-versed in ISIS activities in Iraq and Syria, believe that while the organization has abandoned its project to rebuild the so-called caliphate, it still sees the execution of successful strikes on international targets as beneficial for its cause and the morale of its supporters. Analysts at the Washington Institute, a US-based research center, believe ISIS might reorganize the priorities of its external operations through its branches.
The current terrorism threat landscape in the US and Europe remains a significant concern as both regions face potential threats from various sources, including extremist groups and lone actors. In the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to identify a high risk of both foreign and domestic terrorism. The 2024 Homeland Threat Assessment highlights ongoing threats from individuals radicalized within the US, with potential attacks typically involving lone offenders or small groups. Although counterterrorism efforts have diminished the capacity of foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS and al-Qaida to target US interests directly, these groups are still attempting to rebuild and maintain a network of supporters globally.
In Europe, the threat is similarly severe, with a focus on Islamist terrorism and, increasingly, far-right extremism. The European Union has seen heightened alert levels in several member states, including France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, primarily due to the risk of Islamist terror. These concerns have been exacerbated by the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has also sparked polarizations that could potentially lead to further attacks. The risk assessment and control over these threats primarily reside with individual member states rather than the European Commission.
