The US Department of Homeland Security warns of an increased risk of domestic terrorism. Trump supporters storming the Capitol could encourage extremists to engage in similar actions, services write a statement.
The ministry does not mention concrete examples of possible attacks. Reference is made to ethnically motivated terrorism, such as the attack in El Paso in 2019, with a man opening fire on Mexican shoppers. Reference is also made to “riots in recent days”, which may refer to recent anarchist protests in Portland.
According to the statement, a large group of Americans are disappointed by the loss of ex-President Trump. Confidence in government agencies is said to be so low that some of them are willing to engage in extremist actions, comparable to the storming the Capitol.
Capitoolbestormers
It is according to American media it is striking that the Capitol storm is labeled terrorism by the services. In the US, there is a debate about how the attack should be typified. The stamp of terrorism can potentially have major legal consequences for people who are prosecuted for their role in the election unrest.
More than 150 assailants are currently being prosecuted by the judiciary. A criminal investigation has been initiated into dozens more.
In addition, it is striking that the warning applies for at least three months. Typically, a terrorism warning in the US is limited to a specific holiday or event.
Togetherness
The statement appeals to the responsibility of the Americans themselves. They are called upon to report suspicious activities of acquaintances to the authorities. Visiting large crowds is also discouraged, partly because of the corona pandemic.
Finally, the services come with a call for unity: “Communities are strongest when they are not divided.”
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