Federal officials are on high alert for threats in the United States following the massive evacuation of Afghanistan and the devastating attack on Kabul this week.
According to a federal government, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is tracking three major threats, including whether people abroad in Afghanistan, associated with ISIS or al-Qaeda, could use the relocation process as in order to enter the United States. call CNN-obtained police partners.
“To counter this, there is an extensive verification and verification process for those moving to the United States,” DHS intelligence chief John Cohen said Friday.
An FBI official said in the call that while there is no specific intelligence on terrorist organizations that use relocation as an opportunity, “we can’t rule it out as a possibility.”
There are “a very small number of individuals who have been flagged out of concern,” a National Targeting Center official said in the call, which appeared to refer to people at the transfer points called the “lily pad.” , with Doha. and Qatar.
CNN turned to DHS for comment on the call, including details about the people who were reported out of concern.
The transfer process: Upon leaving Kabul, Afghans are sent to various places abroad, where they provide biographical and biometric information and are checked against U.S. databases.
When it is determined that these subjects are “green,” that is, that there is no derogatory information, they are placed on flights to the United States.
Once they arrive in the United States, they go through additional screenings. If they fail primary control, they undergo secondary control, which includes FBI support, said James McCament, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection official.
“Now, those who pass secondary control will, of course, be relocated to the U.S.. Those who do not, however, will evaluate this additional option,” he added.
It is unclear what would happen if someone did not pass secondary control after landing in the United States.
Threat of own production: The second significant security threat is whether people already in the United States, who may be inspired by narratives associated with al-Qaeda, ISIS or other foreign terrorist groups, “will see the events in Afghanistan as an opportunity to engage in violence here at home. ” Cohen said.
The ability to detect threats from violent domestic extremists poses a challenge for officials, as there may be no direct intelligence before an act of violence is committed.
White supremacists: The third concern for threat is people who are inspired or motivated by violence based on their connection to an extremist narrative of domestic violence.
Some white anti-government and supremacist groups have expressed concern on online platforms that arriving Afghans are degrading the control and authority of the white race, Cohen said, which “may incite violent activities targeting communities of racism. ‘immigrants, certain faith communities, or even those who relocate to the United States.’
In addition, there are narratives that frame the Taliban’s activities as a success, with comments focused on possible acts of violence directed at the U.S. government, law enforcement, and others that are symbols of the current government structure.