Photo: FBI Director Christopher Wray
The FBI is concerned that the United States could be threatened by a coordinated terrorist attack – similar to the one that last month led to the death of several dozen people in the Crocus City concert hall near Moscow.
This is stated in the prepared text of the speech of FBI Director Christopher Wray, speaking on Thursday at a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee, reports Reuters.
"It’s hard for me to imagine – throughout my work in law enforcement – a time when so many threats to public and national security would arise simultaneously"– Ray emphasizes. "But now, – he states, – … that's exactly it.”.
US officials have long been concerned about the risk of an attack carried out by an individual or small group, amid sentiments heightened by the war between Israel and Hamas. However, as noted in Wray's prepared speech, the FBI – especially after the terrorist attack in Russia – We are increasingly concerned about the “possibility in our country of a coordinated attack similar to the IS-Khorasan attack that we saw in the Russian concert hall a few weeks ago.”
Ray's goal — Persuade lawmakers to extend the suspect surveillance program, which expires this month.
Some changes to the program were blocked in the House on Wednesday. Some lawmakers from both parties argue that the proposed measures do not sufficiently limit the government's authority in this area.
"This (extension of the program) is critical to keeping our country safe, and we are in critical situation",– emphasized in the text of the FBI director's speech.
BAGNET recalls that on March 22, at least 144 people were killed as a result of an attack on a concert hall in a Moscow suburb. We are talking about the bloodiest terrorist attack in Russia over the past 20 years.
Responsibility for the incident was claimed by a branch of the militant terrorist group “Islamic State”.
Prepared by: Sergei Daga