FBI Director Christopher Wray warns ISIS could soon inspire 'large-scale' ... trends now
FBI Director Christopher Wray on Thursday will warn Congress that the U.S. is at risk of terror attacks from within that are fashioned by ISIS.
He will say the 'greatest terrorism threat' to the U.S. is 'posed by lone actors or small cells of individuals who typically radicalize to violence online.'
The number of domestic terrorism investigations over the past four years has 'more than doubled,' Wray will say according to his opening remarks obtained by DailyMail.com.
The threats are coming from primarily racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists (RMVEs) and anti-government and anti-authority violent extremists (AGAAVEs).
At the end of fiscal year 2023, the FBI was conducting 2,700 investigations within its domestic terrorism program and 4,000 probes with its international program.
Wray, who has led the FBI under both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, will be on Capitol Hill making his pitch for an $11.6 billion budget in 2025.
FBI Director Christopher Wray on Thursday will warn Congress that the U.S. is at risk of terror attacks from within that are fashioned by ISIS
Republican leadership in their recently passed 2024 budget touted 'deep cuts' to the FBI of around six percent, bringing the budget to $10.7 billion.
'Over the past year, the threats facing our nation have escalated. These threats emanate from myriad sources – nation-states, hostile foreign intelligence services, and criminals,' Wray will warn the Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations.
'They range from homegrown violent extremists (HVEs) to sophisticated cyber attacks, from internet facilitated sexual exploitation of children to human trafficking, from violent gangs and criminal organizations to public corruption and corporate fraud.'
Wray will say the FBI 'remains concerned about the intent of FTOs, such as ISIS and al-Qaida and their affiliates, to carry out or inspire large-scale attacks in the United States.'
Amid war in Gaza, Wray warned in a speech earlier this week: 'The ongoing war in the Middle East has raised the threat of an attack against Americans inside the United States to a whole ‘nother level.'
The FBI has seemed to shift its focus abroad from Hamas to ISIS-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K.
