Lone actors and groups driven by ideology are ‘most significant terrorism threat’ to New Year’s celebrations, report says
By Elizabeth Hartfield, CNN
(CNN) — Lone actors and smaller groups with a range of ideological motives pose the most significant threat to New Year’s Eve celebrations like the one in Times Square, according to a joint assessment from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
The report, which was obtained by CNN, specifically notes the threat from small groups of people “seeking to commit acts of violence motivated by a broad range of racial, ethnic, political, religious, anti-government, anti-immigration, societal or ideological beliefs and grievances.”
There is no specific, credible threat, according to the assessment, which is done ahead of major events like New Year’s Eve and July Fourth. However, the overall so-called “threat matrix” remains elevated.
“If you look at the number of terrorist related events and targeted violent attacks this year alone, and the increase in propaganda from violent extremist groups, there is a lot of concern about the atmosphere heading into the new year,” CNN Chief Law Enforcement Analyst John Miller said.
The assessment notes persistent threats from both foreign and domestic actors, and cites the ongoing risks of targeted shooting events, as well as cybercrime.
Notably, the assessment also discusses the concern about the use of vehicle ramming in attacks, like the one that occurred in New Orleans on January 1, 2025, killing 14 people.
“This tactic is likely to remain attractive for aspiring attackers given the accessibility of vehicles and the low skill threshold necessary to conduct an attack,” the report notes, citing a specific concern about the potential threat of copycat attacks.
The city of New Orleans announced earlier this week it would activate its Emergency Operations Center to monitor activity across the city beginning New Year’s Eve and going through the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.
The-CNN-Wire
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