Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 17 June 2024

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.

Houses of Worship Face Multiple Threats

Pressure mounts on Biden admin to issue national terrorism alert after arrest of suspected ISIS-tied border crossers

Former homeland security officials are slamming the Biden administration for failing to issue a national terror threat bulletin for over a year — despite a string of serious potential terror threats stemming from the southern border… The federal government has recognized the US is in a “heightened” threat environment, while FBI Director Chris Wray has made public warnings about what, how and why those threats could materialize.

Related Article:

• Turner says US is at ‘highest level of a possible terrorist threat’
• New York Threat ‘Extremely Serious,’ Official Warns, as ISIS Crosses Border
• Paul Leads Letter Requesting Hearing on Threat of Terrorists Exploiting Southern Border
• IIJ REMVE Initiative: Addressing the Threat of REMVE Radicalization to Violence in the Americas (Dept of State remarks in Argentina about racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism, or REMVE)
• Terrorism threats in U.S. are ‘more diverse and difficult to counter’
• Terrorist Designations of Nordic Resistance Movement and Three Leaders
• US designates Scandinavian neo-Nazi group and three leaders as terrorists

Catoosa County man charged with terroristic threats after posting videos online

Catoosa County, Georgia investigators are building a case against a man who has been seen on his video disrupting church services and making terroristic threats. Deputies say (name omitted) had two guns in his possession, including a loaded AR-15 pistol. When he was arrested Sunday at a church. Deputies arrested (name omitted) after he made a post asking people to show up at the Ringgold Church of God to join his militia. He also made a stop seven days before that at the Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle and another church, where he recorded himself walking in and disrupting service. 

UK: Teenager’s chilling five-word warning as he plotted suicide bomb attack on synagogue

A teenage neo-Nazi has been jailed for eight years for creating a detailed plan to carry out a suicide bomb attack on a synagogue because he wanted “to make Jews afraid again”. (name omitted), 19, from Brighton, was convicted at trial of possession of an article connected with the preparation of an act of terrorism against the synagogue in Hove, East Sussex. He had also pleaded guilty to five counts of possessing material likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, as well as five offences of sharing terrorist publications dating back to when he was aged 16. The defendant had shared right-wing videos and possessed bomb instruction manuals, Winchester Crown Court heard.

Analyst Comments:

While it is easy to become numb to repeated threat warnings, Faith-Based Organizations should consider maintaining or increasing vigilance and preparedness. As the above items show, there are currently multiple serious threats to houses of worship.

Reminder – June 21 Deadline for Comments on FEMA’s Faith-Based Related Planning Guide

FEMA Seeks Feedback on Draft “Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Planning for Emergency Managers.”

The open comment period will conclude at close of business on June 21, 2024.

Faith-Based ISAO’s 8 May 2024 Daily Awareness Post (DAP) highlighted FEMA Seeks Feedback on Draft “Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Planning for Emergency Managers.”

The DAP explained that FEMA and the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships are seeking feedback on the draft, “Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Planning Considerations for Emergency Managers.” 

A line-numbered version of the draft guide is provided to help identify specific areas or topics for potential update. The feedback form can be used to capture any recommendations. To provide input, download the line-numbered version of the document “Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Planning Considerations for Emergency Managers” and feedback form, then submit the completed feedback form to NPD-Planning@fema.dhs.gov. This open comment period will conclude at close of business on June 21, 2024.

• Line-Numbered Draft “Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Planning Considerations for Emergency Managers”
• Feedback Form

 Analyst Comments:

FEMA’s call for feedback on Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Planning Considerations for Emergency Managers provides an opportunity for Faith-Based Organizations (FBO) to make recommendations on the guidance emergency mangers receive.  This may lead to the emergency managers providing assistance that is most beneficial to FBOs. Utilizing the Line-Numbered Draft “Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Planning Considerations for Emergency Managers” and providing feedback on the Feedback Form is probably the most effective way for your input to reach the document’s publishers.

The open comment period will conclude at close of business on June 21, 2024.