Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 4 March 2025

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. 

Justice Department Files Statement of Interest Supporting Access to Places of Worship 

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in a federal case in California, advocating for the correct interpretation of laws protecting access to religious worship spaces. This case involves allegations that a violent mob attempted to block congregants from entering the Adas Torah Synagogue. The Justice Department’s intervention supports the enforcement of federal protections under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), which guards access to places of worship. The department emphasized its ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism and ensure that individuals can worship without fear of violence or intimidation. 

Analyst Comments: The Justice Department’s submission of a statement of interest in this case highlights the federal government’s dedication to safeguarding religious freedoms, especially against violence or intimidation. By referencing the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, the DOJ stresses the legal measures in place to ensure that places of worship remain accessible and protected for all worshippers, without outside disruption.  

Protecting Places of Worship 

 Russia’s FSB ‘neutralizes’ alleged terrorist planning attack in Moscow 

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that it thwarted an alleged terrorist plot in Moscow, involving a suspect planning to attack a subway station and a Jewish institution. The suspect, a Russian citizen from Central Asia with ties to a banned international terrorist organization, was shot and killed during a confrontation with FSB officers. The FSB also claimed that individual intended to join a terrorist group in Afghanistan after carrying out the attack. This makes the fourth terrorism suspect killed by the FSB this year.

Analyst Comments: The FSB’s announcement of foiling an alleged terrorist plot underscores persistent security concerns in Russia, especially regarding possible attacks on critical targets such as transportation centers and religious institutions. The suspect’s reported ties to a banned international terrorist organization and plans to join a group in Afghanistan emphasizes the global scope of terrorist threats.  

Travel and Terrorism provides a source for congregation members who may be traveling or to help assist mission groups preparing for international trips.