FBI Director Christopher Wray should have a word or two with his boss, Joe Biden, and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Wray recently testified before a Senate committee warning that the United States is facing its highest risk of attack in years, the Daily Mail reports.
Wray’s warning comes at a time when the southern border is wide open, and by all accounts, the country is in the midst of a foreign invasion.
Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee that there are “blinking red lights everywhere” when he was asked to assess the current threat level faced by the U.S.
“The threat level has gone to a whole other level since October 7,” Wray testified.
October 7 is, of course, the day when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and engaged in savage attacks on Israeli citizens, including women, children, and infants.
Wray’s comments come at a time when US forces in the Middle East are withstanding a barrage of strikes from Iranian-led groups that have thus far gone unanswered by Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. In addition, Jewish communities in the United States have also been targeted.
The Daily Mail reports there have been a minimum of 74 attacks on U.S. bases and troops since Oct. 17, none of which have been answered by the administration.
Wray said the FBI is “moving quickly” to stop threats against Jews across the country and also addressed the southern border.
Wray told Senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee that there is enough Fentanyl coming in from Mexico to kill every American and admitted he was “concerned” that so-called “migrant” crossings are adding to the terrorist risk. Again, he might want to inform Biden and Mayorkas of his concerns because they don’t appear to care.
Wray also warned that “the Hamas attack could inspire violent extremists” both at home and abroad, and his agency is “working around the clock” to stop any potential attacks.
“What I would say that is unique about the environment that we’re in right now, in my career, is that, while there may have been times over the years where individual threats could have been higher here or there than where they may be right now, I’ve never seen a time where all the threats, or so many of the threats, are all elevated, all at exactly the same time,” Wray said.
The Anti-Defamation League has recorded at least 321 anti-Semitic incidents in the US between Oct. 7 and Oct. 23, a nearly 400% increase, the New York Post reports. In New York City alone, there has been a 214% surge in anti-Jewish offenses compared to 2022.
Wray told lawmakers that anti-Semitism is at “historic levels” in America after the Hamas attack.
“In fact, our statistics would indicate that for a group that represents only about 2.4% of the American public, they account for something like 60% of all religious-based hate crimes,” Wray said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) questioned Wray about the “blinking red lights” analogy and compared that to pre-9/11 America.
“So, blinking red lights analogy about 9/11–all the lights were blinking red before 9/11, apparently,” Graham said. “Would you say there’s multiple blinking red lights out there?” he asked Wray.
“I see blinking red lights everywhere,” Wray replied, noting the U.S. is facing threats from a “veritable rogues’ gallery of terrorists.”
Wray used the occasion to push for renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire at the end of 2023, noting it would be “devastating” if it were allowed to sunset. That program ostensibly enables U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies to seize, without a warrant, communications of targeted foreigners outside the United States.
Critics of the program, which includes both Democrats and Republicans, say it has been abused by government agencies and used against American citizens at home.
“702 allows us to stay a step ahead of foreign actors located outside the United States who pose a threat to national security,” Wray said. “And the expiration of our 702 authorities would be devastating to the FBI’s ability to protect Americans from those threats.”
Comments
2023-12-15T10:42-0600 | Comment by: Patrick
Yeah, there are those of us who remember a time not so long ago or maybe it was when the US government didn't pay attention then either. That vaunted agency, the CIA completely missed something and on the Vietnamese New Year, 'TET' every bush south of the DMZ got up to attack. The only reason that didn't work was the enemy communications didn't coordinate things well. THAT won't happen in this day and age. THEY'RE ALREADY HERE and so are their weapons.