Chris Wray Warns Hamas Attack ‘Will Serve as an Inspiration’ For Terror Threats Against the U.S.

FBI Director Christopher Wray warned of the possibility that “violent extremists” will draw inspiration from Hamas’ attack on Israel to make threats against the U.S. and other countries.

In a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, Wray said the war between Israel and Hamas “has raised the threat of an attack against Americans in the United States.” He based this on threats that al Qaeda, ISIS, and Hezbollah have called for against Jews, Americans, and their Western allies.

“We assess that the actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration, the likes of which we haven’t seen since ISIS launched its so-called caliphate several years ago,” Wray said. He added that the U.S. has seen an increase in attacks on American military bases abroad that were “carried out by militia groups backed by Iran.”

Wray assessed that America’s most immediate concern is that “violent extremists — individuals or small groups — will draw inspiration from the events in the Middle East to carry out attacks against Americans going about their daily lives.” As he warned about recent anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim violence in America, Wray pivoted from homegrown violence to say “We cannot and do not discount the possibility that Hamas or another foreign terrorist organization may exploit the current conflict to conduct attacks here on our own soil.”

“It is a time to be concerned,” said Wray. While he told Congress the FBI has “no information to indicate that Hamas has the intent or capability to conduct operations inside the U.S.,” he continued to emphasize vigilance in light of the possibility.

Watch above via CSPAN.