Mr. Wray said that since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza earlier this month, many foreign terrorist organizations have called for attacks on Americans and Westerners, significantly increasing the threat at home and abroad.
US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Reuters
“The actions of Hamas and its allies would be an inspiration we have not seen since IS established its so-called caliphate a few years ago,” Mr. Wray said.
The remarks came during a hearing before the US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee focused on threats to the US. Officials said the US government has seen an increase in threats against Jews, Muslims and Arab Americans since fighting broke out in Gaza.
Mr Wray said the number of attacks on US military bases overseas by Iran-backed militias had increased this month. He added that cyberattacks against the US could get worse if the conflict spreads.
During the hearing, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that hate directed at Jewish students in the US after the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza contributed to the rise of anti-Semitism.
This week, the White House expressed alarm over reports of anti-Semitic incidents at American universities and called on universities to tighten security.
At a White House conference on cyberattacks on Tuesday, US Attorney General Merrick Garland said he had directed assistance to Israeli investigators probing financial flows to Hamas, including those related to cryptocurrencies.
Quoc Thien (according to Reuters)
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