The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have issued a joint intelligence bulletin warning U.S. active duty military and veterans to be aware of possible attacks by the ISIS terrorist group inside the U.S.
Officials are telling active duty troops and veterans to scrub their social media accounts of anything that may attract the attention of “violent extremists” or information that would assist terror groups in learning individual service members’ identities or locations.
“The FBI and DHS recommend that current and former members of the military review their online social media accounts for any information that might serve to attract the attention of ISIL [ISIS] and its supporters,” the federal bulletin sent to law enforcement agencies said. The bulletin advises that troops “routinely exercise operational security in their interactions online.”
The concern is copycat attacks similar to those in Montreal and Ottawa in October. Two uniformed Canadian soldiers were killed in separate incidents by men who said they were followers of ISIS. Officials are concerned that these attacks may motivate others who support the terrorist group.
According to ABC News, some active duty troops in U.S. special operations and other military branches said they deactivated, scrubbed or locked Facebook and other personal social media accounts when the U.S. began bombing ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria in August.
Government officials are also concerned about ISIS recruiting sympathizers inside the U.S. — all with the goal of attacking U.S. military members or veterans.
“The FBI recently received reporting indicating individuals overseas are spotting and assessing like-minded individuals who are willing and capable of conducting attacks against current and former U.S.-based members of the United States military,” the bulletin said.
Let’s be safe out there.