Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 19 March 2026

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.

Northwestern Indiana man charged with attempted murder after being caught with multiple explosive devices at church

A 41-year-old man was arrested in Michigan City after allegedly bringing multiple explosive devices and a firearm into a church with the intent to kill a specific parishioner. Police were alerted via a 911 call reporting that an armed individual was heading to the church ,locating him inside the church among congregants and detaining him as he attempted to leave. Upon arrest, authorities discovered several explosive devices on his person, and a subsequent search of his home uncovered additional explosives and materials used to manufacture them. Investigators also determined that he had planned a second attack targeting another individual and their family at a separate residence. The perpetrator now faces multiple felony charges, including attempted murder, possession of destructive devices, stalking, and resisting law enforcement.

Analyst Comments: This incident reinforces a critical and evolving threat pattern for houses of worship: targeted, grievance-driven violence carried out by individuals who blend into normal congregational settings before acting.  The fact the suspect entered the church and sat among parishioners highlights the difficulty of detecting threats without proactive security measures such as trained greeters, behavioral awareness, and coordination with local law enforcement.

Thankfully, early reporting such as the 911 call in this case proved decisive, underscoring the value of community awareness and protective orders being taken seriously. For houses of worship, this event emphasizes layered security: access control where feasible, suspicious behavior reporting protocols, pre-event threat assessment, and regular coordination with first responders. It also highlights that, despite the current US/Iran conflict-influenced environment, threats can stem from personal disputes as often as ideology.

FBI and IRS to investigate nonprofit groups for domestic terrorism links, sources say

According to CBS News, the FBI and IRS are launching a joint initiative to investigate nonprofit organizations suspected of having potential links to domestic terrorism. The effort will combine FBI agents and IRS Criminal Investigation personnel to analyze financial networks and funding streams that could support political violence or extremist activity. The initiative follows a December directive from the Department of Justice prioritizing the identification and prosecution of individuals or groups associated with domestic extremism, with a focus on disrupting activity before violence occurs. As part of this effort, officials are expected to compile information on organizations that may meet the federal definition of domestic terrorism and pursue cases using existing criminal statutes, since there is no standalone federal charge for domestic terrorism.

This initiative occurs in the context of a December 4, 2025 memo by Attorney General Pam Bondi that lists indicators of domestic terrorism. As the memo states, “These domestic terrorists use violence or the threat of violence to advance political and social agendas, including opposition to law and immigration enforcement; extreme views in favor of mass migration and open borders; adherence to radical gender ideology, anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, or anti-Christianity.”

Analyst Comments: From a security perspective, this development reflects a shift toward scrutinizing not just individuals but also networks, affiliations, and financial pathways that could enable violence; however, the inclusion of broadly defined indicators such as “extreme views in favor of mass migration,” “radical gender ideology,” or “anti-Christianity” introduces ambiguity in how risk is assessed. Many houses of worship regularly engage with  political issues, many of which are included in the December 4^th memo, as part of their mission, creating the potential for increased scrutiny of organizations or individuals absent any criminal activity. This also elevates the risk of indirect exposure through donations, partnerships, or public messaging, and may also impact congregant engagement if government monitoring is perceived. As a result, faith-based organizations should maintain awareness of this shifting enforcement environment in the near term.

The Gate 15 Interview EP 68. Behind the Scenes at the Cybersecurity Summit

The Gate 15 Interview is a monthly interview between Gate 15’s Founder and Managing Director, Andy Jabbour and guests from throughout the homeland security risk management community addressing a wide range of all-hazards topics and issues.

In this month’s Gate 15 Interview Andy is joined by special guest Michelle Bouschor, Calei Coon, and Toni Pepper. Takeaways to a look at Tribal-ISAC’s next chapter, and even a few behind-the-scenes moments you didn’t hear on stage, this episode captures the full energy of the event. Plus… don’t miss a rapid-fire travel snack debate that you didn’t know you needed.

Information on other Gate 15 podcasts can be found at Podcasts (gate15.global).