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 ISIS established its so-called caliphate a few years ago,” Mr. Wray said.
The remarks came during a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee focused on threats to the United States. Officials said the U.S. 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 in anti-Semitism.
This week, the White House expressed alarm over reports of anti-Semitic incidents at American universities and urged universities to tighten security.
At a White House-hosted cyberattacks conference on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said he has directed assistance to Israeli investigators in probing financial flows to Hamas, including those involving cryptocurrencies.
Quoc Thien (according to Reuters)
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