Former President George W. Bush warned of the threat posed by national extremist groups on the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, arguing that there are similarities between “violent extremists abroad” and the “from home.”
In statements at a nearby memorial ceremony In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where one of the four Sept. 11 plane crashes occurred, Bush said that even two decades later, “many Americans struggle to understand why an enemy would hate us with this zeal “.
“The security measures built into our lives are both sources of comfort and reminders of our vulnerability,” he said.
The former president, who held office at the time of the 2001 attacks, went on to say that Americans “have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country may come not only from the borders, but from the violence that is taking place.” gathers within it “.
Bush’s mention of domestic extremism comes when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in recent weeks has warned of increased security threats in the United States following the withdrawal of the Biden administration from Afghanistan.
Last month, a DHS bulletin warned that the twentieth anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks could serve as a catalyst for targeted violence and that domestic extremists and anti-government activists could also be encouraged in the coronavirus pandemic.
Bush acknowledged on Saturday that while “there is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home,” there are points in common. “contempt for pluralism, in its disregard for human life, in its determination to contaminate national symbols, ”seemingly alluding to the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol.
“They are children of the same evil spirit, and it is our duty to continue to confront them,” he added.
Bush said earlier this year that he was “disgusted” by the Capitol riot, when a crowd of pro-Trump supporters tried to delay Congress’ ratification of President Biden’s election victory. In a statement following the Capitol violation on Jan. 6, Bush said he was “dismayed by the reckless behavior of some of our leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today in our institutions, the our traditions and our law enforcement. “
“The violent aggression on the Capitol – and the interruption of a congressional meeting with a constitutional mandate – were undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes,” Bush said at the time. “The insurgency could do serious damage to our nation and our reputation. In the United States of America, it is a fundamental responsibility of all patriotic citizens to support the rule of law.”
Bush was joined on Saturday by former First Lady Laura Bush, Vice President Harris and Second Knight Doug Emhoff at the site near Shanksville, where Flight 93 crashed into an empty field after passengers and crew left. being able to advance Al Qaeda hijackers and divert the plane from what was believed to be the intended target of 9/11: the United States Capitol.
Bush also used the speech to congratulate the unity and resistance shown by Americans after the 2001 attacks and called on citizens to reject the policy of “fear and resentment.”
“Evil force seems to work in our common life that turns every disagreement into an argument and every argument into a clash of cultures,” he said.
“On the day of the trials and pain in the United States, I saw millions of people instinctively take the hand of a neighbor and come together for the cause of others,” he explained. “This is the America I know.”
The former president’s comments also follow growing concerns about the potential for targeted attacks on Afghan refugees arriving in the U.S. after weeks of evacuation of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan after the consolidation of Taliban power.
John Cohen, head of DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis, reportedly said in a call with law enforcement officials earlier this month that the white supremacist and other extremist groups violent online have perpetuated narratives that “may incite violent activities aimed at immigrant communities, certain communities of faith, or even those relocating to the United States.”