According to the latest national threat assessments,[1] the primary terrorism-related threat to the United States continues to stem from lone offenders or small cells of individuals who are motivated by a range of foreign and/or domestic grievances. Key factors contributing to the current heightened threat environment include:
Continued calls for violence directed at soft targets and mass gatherings; faith-based institutions, such as churches, synagogues, and mosques; institutions of higher education; racial and religious minorities; and perceived ideological opponents among them. Housed of worship are considered particularly vulnerable targets by violent extremists.
This assessment is not merely hypothetical, but is based upon actual, dynamic, and complex circumstances. Most recent threat illustrations reported include:
- St. Cloud, Minnesota, September 9, 2022 (Star Tribune): Islamic leaders are calling on places of worship to increase their security after a break-in at a Twin Cities-area Mosque, the Tawfiq Islamic Center. Intruders caused an estimated $50,000 in damage when they smashed doors and windows, destroyed property, and stole donations. Authorities are investigating the break-in as a bias-motivated crime in coordination with the FBI.
- Nationwide, September 9, 2022 (FBI National Press Office): According to the FBI, there have been racially motivated threats made to more than 50 Historically Black Colleges, Universities, and Institutions across the country since the beginning of the year and the threats to these institutions continue. These hate-fueled and racist threats of violence disrupt the learning environment and the education of college students and instill fear in a community that has experienced violence and threats of violence historically.
- Nationwide August 26, 2022 (Jerusalem Post/7 Israel National News Arutz Sheva): Las Vegas resident Andrew Gorrelick, 48, was arrested for making false terroristic threats against Jewish people after police discovered 44 tweets associated with his Twitter account that specifically threatened to kill Jews. His threats included: “Rounding them up and killing them all now I will never rest until they are all dead;” and “I’m hunting you. I”m thirsty for Jew blood.”
- St. Louis, Missouri, August 8, 2022 (DoJ/US Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri): Cody Steven Rush admitted to threatening to blow up a St. Louis synagogue. He made several statements to the St. Louis office of the FBI saying, “I’m going to blow up a church,” giving the name of his target as the Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis. He threatened to attack the synagogue “while they are in service” and told authorities that “I hate them with rage.”
- Oak Creek, Wisconsin, August 5, 2022 (CNN): Commemorations marked the tenth anniversary of the mass killing by a white supremacist gunman at the Sikh gurdwara (temple). At the time, the Oak Creek shooting was the worst hate crime committed in a house of worship since the 1963 church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama.
Among the resources and supports the Federal government deploys to keep Americans safe is the Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In FY 2022, FEMA allocated approximately $240 million in funding to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements to approximately 1,800 nonprofit organizations deemed at high risk of terrorist (or terroristic) attack.
For the coming fiscal year, Congress is considering increasing the NSGP program accounts (there are two) to a total of $360 million. Congress is working to finalize the FY 2023 appropriations, which is expected to take several months before completion. Once completed, the next NSGP grant opportunity will commence approximately 60 days later. For the uninitiated, navigating the NSGP application and process can be challenging and it is advisable to begin planning and drafting application responses well in advance of the application start date.
[1] National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin, June 7, 2022
