FBI posts warning about Fourth of July ‘attacks’ ahead of celebrations – and urges people to watch out for specific kind of security threat

Fourth of July celebrants should be extra vigilant for possible lone wolf attacks while celebrating the holiday, the FBI and Homeland Security warn.

The security services said individual attackers and small extremist groups pose the greatest threat, warning that large groups of people are often seen as “attractive targets.”

Experts warn that tensions in the country following the presidential election and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas are increasing the risks, and that it is particularly difficult to prepare for lone-wolf attacks.

“The police are instructed by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security to be on the lookout for these types of things, which are notoriously difficult to protect,” said security correspondent Aaron Katersky. ABC news.

“The political climate in the country certainly doesn’t help.”

Law enforcement warned that lone wolf attacks pose the greatest threat and that large groups of people are often seen as “attractive targets”

The federal alert, which was also issued by the National Counterterrorism Center, urged police departments across the country to be vigilant during the festivities.

While such messages are not uncommon in the run-up to a national holiday, this July 4 warning specifically refers to “domestic” attacks that can also be sparked by issues such as abortion and racism.

Such terrorists would ‘likely use simple tactics and relatively readily available weapons such as firearms, knives and vehicles.’

The bulletin said that security services were currently not aware of any active plans to attack the festivities, but that attacks “could occur with little to no warning.”

As large crowds of people take to the streets in major cities across the country, police departments are becoming overburdened and their resources are strained.

The FBI warns that this could seriously hamper agents’ ability to stop an attack before it happens, as they “can act with little to no warning due to the often lower security surrounding civilian targets.”

Police also face ‘challenges in securing large groups of people’, and the past 4th of July attacks show why this is a greater threat.

The most recent tragedy occurred in 2022 during the Fourth of July parade in Chicago’s Highland Park, where 22-year-old gunman Robert Crimo opened fire on a huge crowd, killing seven people.

At least 24 others were hospitalised after the shooting, as Crimo fired bullets into the crowd from a high position.

A police officer bows his head in grief next to abandoned strollers and chairs after a shooting that left six people dead in Highland Park, Illinois, in 2022

Police officers guard a park near the scene of a mass shooting during a July 4 celebration and parade in Highland Park, Illinois, in 2022

Katersky advised anyone planning to attend large events to avoid panic, but also to “keep a cool head and if you see anything strange, report it.”

Chicago Police Affairs Advisor Bill Kushner told ABC7 Chicago that he believes the greatest threat comes from those radicalized by the war between Israel and Hamas.

“The Israeli-Palestinian issue: we’ve seen discord on college campuses. There’s been a lot of protesting and it seems like violence is increasing,” he said.

“I would be more concerned about that aspect than anything else.”

Kushner advised limiting the risk of a lone wolf attack by scouting possible escape routes during parades and rallies.

In a statement to ABC7 Chicago, a spokesperson for the city’s FBI office said the warnings come because the agency “regularly shares information” with police, but “encourages the public to be vigilant and report anything they believe is suspicious” to police.

Millions of Americans will take to the streets across the country, straining police resources.

Experts advised those planning to attend large events to avoid panic, but also to ‘keep their wits about them and if they see anything unusual, report it’

The focus appears to be on domestic terrorism. The FBI says it is tracking about 850 suspected “domestic” terrorists, following a significant increase in domestic terrorism cases involving white supremacists.

“In fact, in recent years, there have been more arrests and deaths in the United States by domestic terrorists than by international terrorists,” Assistant Director Michael McGarrity, head of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, recently told a congressional hearing.

However, the FBI bulletin also warned that ISIS has recently called on supporters to target the United States.

The agency says it is monitoring about 1,000 suspected “homegrown” terrorists currently in the United States who are inspired by terrorist organizations such as ISIS and al-Qaeda.

In a statement to ABC News following the bulletin’s publication, an FBI spokesperson urged the public to “stay informed.”

“The FBI regularly assesses intelligence regarding potential threats to the United States and will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners should a potential threat to public safety arise,” the spokesperson said.

‘We ask the public to be alert to their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity to the police immediately.’