Are they already here? Iranian sleeper cells may be waiting to strike rural US areas
Iranian nuclear sites
, national security officials say the risk of terrorist attacks on US soil in response has gone up. An ex-FBI agent says that
Iranian sleeper cells
may already be in the US and planning attacks in places that people don't expect.
Why are experts warning about sleeper cells now?
A former FBI agent says that Iranian sleeper cells may already be in the US, hiding in plain sight and possibly planning attacks on rural areas in the future. People are worried about the risk of hidden terrorists attacking people in the US.
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In response to the June 22 U.S. military strikes on multiple Iranian nuclear sites, the
Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) released a National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin indicating a higher risk of domestic or Iranian-backed terrorism, as per a report by Fox News.
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"The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland. Iran also has a long-standing commitment to target US Government officials it views as responsible for the death of an Iranian military commander killed in January 2020,' the bulletin said, as per a report by Fox News.
Could rural towns really be the target?
These terror cells could be in our backyard, according to former FBI special agent Jonathan Gilliam, who has served on terrorism task forces.
According to Gilliam, the rural areas of America may be the target of these sleeper cells because they are "not well protected."
Instead of focusing on a big city, sleeper cells might target more rural states. Indeed, given the evolution of attacks by fundamental Islamic attackers that we witnessed in India this year and Israel on October 7, 2023, a similar attack might occur at a popular vacation destination or rural outdoor entertainment venue," Gilliam stated.
"It's obvious where these sleeper cells might be," Gilliam stated. "And that's the real terrifying part of this is that putting people in place, as we've seen over the past four years, everyone's scrambling because certain amounts of people could come in here and get in here."
What role does the border crisis play in this?
According to Gilliam, sleeper cells were made possible by the Biden administration's border policies, which allowed Iranian illegal immigrants to enter the country with impunity.
"The Biden administration's border policies have enabled Iranian illegal immigrants to come into the U.S. with impunity, creating the conditions for sleeper cells to exist," he stated in reference to undocumented Iranian immigrants. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has stepped up enforcement actions against Iranian illegal immigrants since the U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Several federal sources told Fox News that 670 Iranians are in ICE custody and that more than 130 Iranian nationals have been arrested since June 18.
FAQs
Are there sleeper cells in the United States right now?
Experts say it is possible. Some people may have crossed the southern border and are now hiding.
Why would they target rural areas rather than large cities?
Rural areas are frequently less secure and may be easier to attack without early detection.
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