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Then-Acting Secretary David Pekoske issued the Biden administration's first terrorism bulletin warning of a "heightened threat environment" across the U.S. "The threat stream has not changed significantly however this is an important product that keeps the public updated about threats facing the United States and underscores the importance of the public to staying vigilant and reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement."
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"Today, we are issuing the fourth NTAS Bulletin since January 2021," Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. The bulletin follows up on an earlier NTAS bulletin release issued in August that is set to expire Thursday. NTAS bulletins are designed to illustrate current developments or trends about terrorism threats and are not to be confused with an elevated alert, which warns of a credible terrorism threat, or an imminent alert, which warns of a credible, specific and impending terrorism threat. The pandemic has created conditions that mean law enforcement must "deal with a more volatile threat environment at the same time that they're dealing with other issues their community," including "personnel challenges," as police departments struggle to recruit and retain officers. "DHS is concerned that increased acts of violence, as well as targeted attacks against law enforcement, may strain local resources and challenge the ability of law enforcement to maintain the safety and security of local communities," the terrorism bulletin advises. Meanwhile, DHS has continued to hear from law enforcement officials expressing "concerns that the broad sharing of false narratives and conspiracy theories that endorse the use of violence will continue to gain traction, resulting in individuals or small groups embracing violent tactics to achieve their desired objectives."
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"We want to make sure that if people observe suspicious activities, that they report those to local authorities." We don't want people to be overly scared, but we do want them to be vigilant," a senior homeland security official told CBS News. "We want people to go out and enjoy the holidays. But DHS notes "there are currently no credible or imminent threats tied to any dates or locations," including houses of worship. "Historically, [domestic violent extremists and individuals inspired by foreign terrorist organizations have targeted crowded commercial facilities, houses of worship, and public gatherings, which have at times caused mass causalities," the bulletin reads, a routine warning exacerbated by the reopening of malls, government buildings and downtown areas amid the coronavirus pandemic. The agency also urged communities to be cautious when they get together for large gatherings ahead of the holiday season, though it noted there have been no credible or imminent threats identified.
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The bulletin also advised that ideologically motivated domestic extremists "continue to derive inspiration from and obtain operational guidance, including regarding the use of improvised explosive devices and small arms, through the consumption of information shared in online forums." The advisory goes on to say violent extremists could use encrypted messaging to try to "obscure operational indicators that provide specific warning of a pending act of violence."