US security officials are on alert for possible retaliatory attacks against Democrats following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, according to a new intelligence report obtained by CNN.
The assessment – prepared jointly by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other agencies, including local law enforcement in Illinois – outlines several potential security concerns surrounding the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which begins on the 19th.
“The FBI and DHS remain concerned about the potential for subsequent or retaliatory acts of violence following the attempted assassination of (Trump) on July 13, 2024, especially given that individuals in some online communities have threatened, encouraged, or referenced acts of violence in response to the assassination attempt,” the assessment says, noting that the agencies have not identified any specific, credible threat.
Despite several conspiracy theories that appeared online after the attack blaming Democrats, there is no evidence that the shooter was motivated by politics.
A review of public records suggests he may have had differing political leanings and registered to vote as a Republican while also making a small donation to a Democratic-leaning group.
While the motivation of the gunman who shot Trump remains a mystery to investigators, the report says that “politically and socially divisive topics have provoked violence in the past” and adds that some extremists “will see political and social tensions as an opportunity to use or promote violence to promote their ideological goals.”
The intelligence assessment is common for large gatherings considered special national security events by the DHS secretary, and includes many of the security concerns outlined in another report issued by federal authorities last month ahead of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
“The United States is in a heightened threat environment and regularly updates law enforcement and other partners,” DHS told CNN in a statement on Thursday (8).
“There are no specific, verified reports to indicate a threat to the Democratic National Convention at this time, but we note the risk that the event could be viewed as a target. We ask the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activity to local law enforcement authorities.”
The Democratic convention begins on August 19 and is expected to draw more than 50,000 visitors to downtown Chicago, including several high-profile people such as President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and several elected leaders across the country.
The event comes after several recent troubling security incidents involving large gatherings of people around the world, including the attack on Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which killed one audience member and injured others, including the former president.
That incident sparked bipartisan criticism of the Secret Service and its failure to adequately secure a building near the large gathering used by the shooter to fire into the crowd.
On Wednesday, authorities in Austria announced the arrest of three Islamic State supporters who were planning a suicide attack at a Taylor Swift concert.
Security officials believe the individuals were radicalized online, and concerns about the event’s security led to the cancellation of three of Swift’s concerts.
In their intelligence assessment for the Democratic National Convention, the FBI and DHS say the most significant terrorist threat facing the event comes from extremists, “including lone offenders, who engage in violence to advance a wide range of beliefs and grievances.” anti-government, political, racial, ethnic, religious, social or personal ideology”.
The agencies note that groups such as al Qaeda and the Islamic State “have encouraged attacks against the West and leveraged social media to amplify their messages to inspire attacks.”
“I think everyone has the feeling that the threats are real. This is not a university exercise that we are undertaking. We are planning for real-world possibilities,” Jeff Burnside, Secret Service coordinator for the Democratic convention, said earlier about security preparations.
Tensions in the Middle East following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel last year could also fuel concerns about public security at the upcoming convention in Chicago, the assessment says.
Since the Oct. 7 attack, police have observed an increase in threats to the Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities in the U.S., “including reports of physical assaults, bomb threats, and online calls for mass casualty attacks,” the assessment says.
“As violent rhetoric and disinformation associated with the conflict is shared online, we remain concerned about the potential for reportable targeted violence motivated by grievances exacerbated by the conflict.”
How to CNN reported, recent nationwide demonstrations against the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza recalled the 1968 Democratic convention, which saw violent clashes between Chicago police and anti-Vietnam War protesters.
With just over a week until the start of the convention, Chicago law enforcement agencies have been conducting exercises on a wide range of potential scenarios — including violent protests, removing individuals from hostile crowds, medical emergencies and more.
Share:
