On the anniversary of 9/11, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray warned that the terrorism threat has expanded with the rise of social media.
Mr. Wray explained during an interview on CBS’ “This Morning” that traditional aggressors like al Qaeda and other major terrorist organizations still loom 17 years after foreign terrorists attacked America.
However, he warned that the agency is “very focused” on homegrown violent extremists. He described how these threats are already embedded in the U.S., in “big cities, small towns, coast to coast,” and are mostly radicalized through online exposure.
“Terrorism today moves at the speed of social media,” Mr. Wray said, while acknowledging that part of the solution is to work with tech companies to fight radicalization.
Probes into potential homegrown violent extremists accounted for about a fifth of all the terrorist organizations investigations, Mr. Wray said. The agency made 120 arrests just last year.
WATCH: @FBI Director Christopher Wray tells @NorahODonnell: “Terrorism today moves at the speed of social media” https://t.co/ExnvHmkYs4 pic.twitter.com/zAE7FfhIkM
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) September 11, 2018
SEE ALSO: Jeff Sessions on 9/11 anniversary: FBI investigating terrorism cases in all 50 states
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.