FBI, DHS Anticipate Foreign Terrorist Messages Exploiting Upcoming 9/11 Anniversary, U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan: Report

Foreign terrorist groups would likely exploit the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the upcoming 9/11 anniversary in their messaging, a U.S. joint intelligence bulletin said.

According to CNN that obtained the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), DHS (Department of Homeland Security), and National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) joint intelligence bulletin, officials are anticipating this to happen.

The intel bulletin said federal agencies also concluded that homegrown violent extremists were not the ones who would likely initiate or accelerate attacks with the upcoming 20th anniversary of the terror attacks.

Anticipating Terrorism-Related Messages Days Prior 9/11 20th Anniversary

Based on the bulletin dated September 1, the recently published stories related to Al Qaeda and ISIS by the media referenced the 9/11 attack and attempted to exploit current events to recruit new followers and inspire homegrown violent extremists.

The bulletin pointed out that Al Qaeda released a 14-minute English-subtitled video in July entitled "America Burns" on its official media arm.

The video contained news clips and images that featured the alleged declining U.S. economy, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, and the perceived divisions in the U.S.

The intelligence assessment noted that the Al Qaeda video suggested that the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6 was more impactful than the "fourth plane" that did not hit its target, possibly referring to the United Airlines Flight 93.

The United Airlines Flight 93 was a domestic passenger flight that four Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked as part of the September 11 attacks that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Despite no media releases yet issued, the terrorist groups were expected to address the upcoming 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Based on the bulletin, terrorist messaging that celebrates the attacks has typically been released on or before September 11.

9/11 Anniversary and Afghanistan Withdrawal's Impact

The bulletin also emphasized that the broadcast materials produced by Al Qaeda, ISIS, and their affiliates which referenced the 9/11 attacks would likely reinforce the mindset of homegrown violent extremists and anti-U.S. sentiments. Intel assessment further noted that it could contribute to the radicalization of the extremists even outside the U.S. by serving as a reminder of the past success of the terrorist groups against the U.S.

A copy of the report written by DHS's Office of Intelligence and Analysis dated August 27 emphasized the impact of the U.S. withdrawal, Yahoo News reported.

The intelligence report noted that the U.S. withdrawal could make terrorist attacks in the U.S. and abroad more likely.

"We assess domestic and foreign violent extremists are probably attempting to exploit the U.S. withdrawal from and deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan to inspire attacks and recruit like-minded extremists online," the report stated.

Aside from the 9/11 attacks, the agencies said they could not also rule out that a confluence of factors, including the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, could contribute to violence.

Among the concerns about the U.S. withdrawal was that it could once again create a safe haven for Al Qaeda, the terrorist group that carried out the 9/11 attacks.

The latest bulletin noted that the agencies were unaware of any specific, credible threats related to 9/11 that happened almost 20 years ago.

However, they did not disregard the possibility that mass gatherings on or around the date may be perceived as attractive targets of opportunity for the terrorist groups.

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Written by: Jess Smith

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