Tipsheet

Here's What FBI Director Wray Revealed to the House Homeland Security Committee This Week

Spencer Brown
Spencer Brown  |  November 17, 2023 2:15 PM

Citing concerns about "homegrown violent extremists" inspired by terrorist groups such as Hamas following the Iran-backed terrorists' slaughter of more than 1,200 Israelis on October 7 along with "domestic violent extremists targeting Jewish Americans" and other faith communities, FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed this week that federal authorities have launched "multiple investigations into individuals affiliated" with Hamas. 

"On top of the so-called 'lone actor' threat, 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," Wray said in his testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee earlier this week.

"We have kept our sights on Hamas and have multiple investigations into individuals affiliated with that foreign terrorist organization," he said. 

More from CBS News on Wray's testimony:

"In a year where the terrorism threat was already elevated, the ongoing war in the Middle East has raised the threat of an attack against Americans in the United States to a whole 'nother level. Since Oct. 7, we've seen a rogue's gallery of foreign terrorist organizations call for attacks against Americans and our allies," Wray told the committee in his opening remarks. He added, "Given those calls for action, our most immediate concern is that individuals or small groups will draw twisted inspiration from the events in the Middle East to carry out attacks here at home." 

Since the Hamas attacks on Israel — and Israel's subsequent strikes against the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip — the FBI director has said the U.S. intelligence community has been most concerned about lone-wolf style assailants, inspired by the terrorist group, targeting Western nations — and this after Hamas, al-Qaeda, and ISIS have issued calls to action. 

Wray's testimony this week — including his statement that federal law enforcement is pursuing investigations against Hamas affiliates — comes after previous congressional testimony in which Wray did not project a strong and effective FBI able to protect Americans for foreign or domestic terror threats spurred by terrorists' war on Israel.

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As Townhall reported at the end of October, Wray previously testified that the FBI was "not tracking" terrorist organizations operating inside the United States and put blame on "gaps in our intelligence" that the FBI has "concerns" about. Wray also told lawmakers that he "couldn't say" that the FBI is "able to detect all individuals" who may be planning an attack within the homeland.