DHS Warns of New Terror Threat Due to 9/11 Anniversary, COVID Pandemic ‘Impacts’

On 11 September 2001, at least 2,977 people were killed and some 6,000 more injured after al-Qaeda* terrorists hijacked four planes and carried out suicide attacks against a spate of targets in the US.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned that the forthcoming 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America may spark “acts of targeted violence”’ by domestic extremists.

In a new National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin issued on Friday, the DHS also argued that this “challenging” threat is exacerbated by “impacts of the ongoing global [COVID-19] pandemic, including grievances over public health safety measures and perceived government restrictions”.

The DHS suggested that the extremists may try to exploit the emergence of new, highly contagious COVID strains “by viewing the potential re-establishment of public health restrictions across the United States as a rationale to conduct attacks”.

“Pandemic-related stressors have contributed to increased societal strains and tensions, driving several plots by domestic violent extremists, and they may contribute to more violence this year”, the bulletin pointed out.

Separately, the document recalled that the militant Islamist group al-Qaeda* in the Arabian Peninsula recently released the first English-language issue of its Inspire magazine in more than four years, in a sign that "foreign terrorist organizations continue efforts to inspire US-based individuals susceptible to violent extremist influences”.

The bulletin was released after UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace made it clear that Britain may redeploy its troops to Afghanistan if al-Qaeda returns to the South Asian country following the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from there.

In an interview with Sky News, Wallace said that he “was absolutely worried” about Afghanistan allegedly spiralling towards becoming a failed state that could serve as a breeding ground for terrorists.

Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace

© REUTERS / Simon Dawson

“Of course I am worried, it is why I said I felt this was not the right time or decision to make because, of course, al-Qaeda will probably come back, certainly would like that type of breeding ground”, he added.

The defence secretary was referring to US President Joe Biden’s announcement in April about the pullout of American troops from Afghanistan due to be completed before the 9/11 anniversary. POTUS then shifted the deadline to 31 August.

Over the past few months, the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly, with the Taliban already having seized 18 of the country’s 34 provincial capitals and currently targeting the national capital Kabul. Earlier this week, the Biden administration sent 3,000 troops to Afghanistan to secure the drawdown of US Embassy staff from Kabul.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has, meanwhile, called on Taliban militants to immediately end their offensive and “to negotiate in good faith in the interest of Afghanistan and its people”.

*al-Qaeda, a terrorist group banned in Russia and an array of other countries