In a confidential memo addressed to partner law enforcement agencies, the FBI’s Assistant Director Cathy Milhoan disclosed that a recent string of swatting incidents targeting Jewish institutions across the nation was likely a coordinated effort by a group operating outside the United States. The memo, obtained by ABC News, highlighted that nearly 200 Jewish organizations were affected over the weekend.
Milhoan’s letter said, “At this time, based on similar language and specific email tradecraft used, it appears the perpetrators of these threats are connected. Additionally, these threats appear to be originating from outside of the United States.” She further assured, “To date, none of these email threats have involved any actual explosive devices or credible risk of harm to congregants.”
The FBI is actively investigating these threats, with more than 30 of its 56 field offices involved. According to Milhoan, these incidents violated multiple federal laws. The Secure Community Network (SCN), a non-profit that advises U.S. Jewish institutions on safety, recorded an unprecedented number of 199 swatting incidents and false bomb threats between Friday and Saturday.
The SCN press release detailed the geographic spread of these incidents, including 93 in California, 62 in Arizona, 15 in Connecticut, five in Colorado, and four in Washington state. The non-profit also reported a significant increase in such incidents, with a 540% rise from 2022, totaling over 449 cases this year.
Notably, October and November witnessed a 290% surge in incidents from the previous year, with SCN documenting a record 772 incidents.
In concluding the memo, Milhoan emphasized, “The safety of all faith-based communities is one of the FBI’s highest priorities. Once again, thank you for your partnership and your collaboration to keep our communities safe.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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3 Responses
What?! There have been SWATting incidents at synaogues?! Why has there been no reporting of such an unusual occurrence? Did the FBI actually say that, or is that some YWN writer’s invention? The only quote from the memo speaks only of “email threats”, not of SWATting. And it’s weird to report “swatting incidents and false bomb threats” together, as the SCN press release is alleged to have done. Why would they do that?
My guess is that they didn’t, and whoever at YWN wrote this piece has no idea what “SWATting” means, and just used it because it sounds good. Further evidence is the fact that this person spelled it “swatting”, as if it were something you do to flies.
Well, I was wrong, it’s the SCN press release that makes the weird mishmash of SWATting and bomb threats, and uses the “swatting” spelling. So the question moves to SCN; do they know what they’re doing or are they just using gobbledegook to promote themselves?
Perhaps via CIA or other organizations, the US can launch a counter cyber-attack to disrupt these nefarious perpetrators.