Hamas poses the greatest terror threat since ISIS, the director of the FBI has warned.
Christopher Wray said on Tuesday that the Israel-Hamas war has raised the threat of attacks to “a whole other level” and would serve as “inspiration” to jihadists operating in the United States and across the Western world.
“We assess that the actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration the likes of which we haven’t seen since Isis launched its so-called caliphate several years ago,” he told the Senate Committee on Homeland Security.
“We also cannot and do not discount the possibility that Hamas or another foreign terrorist organisation may exploit the current conflict to conduct attacks here on our own soil.”
Mr Wray said the most significant threat was to Jewish and Muslim communities in the United States.
“Our most immediate concern is that violent extremists, individuals or small groups, will draw inspiration from the events of the Middle East and carry out attacks against Americans going about their daily lives,” he added.
Appearing alongside Mr Wray, Alejandro Mayorkas, the Homeland Security secretary, said hate directed at Jewish students following the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has added to an increase in anti-Semitism.
The White House expressed alarm this week at reports of anti-Jewish incidents at US universities, including several in New York, that prompted university officials to tighten security.
“Hate directed at Jewish students, communities, and institutions add to a preexisting increase in the level of anti-Semitism in the United States and around the world,” Mr Mayorkas said.
