It is important for people to protect themselves both online and in-person, and to report any suspicious activity they encounter. How Citizens Can Protect Themselves and Report Suspicious Activity This message has resonated with supporters in the United States and abroad. The Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), in particular, encourages sympathizers to carry out simple attacks wherever they are located-or to travel to ISIS-held territory in Iraq and Syria and join its ranks as foreign fighters. Social media has also allowed both international and domestic terrorists to gain unprecedented, virtual access to people living in the United States in an effort to enable homeland attacks.

These facilitate the groupsвЂ™ ability to radicalize and recruit individuals who are receptive to extremist messaging. The Internet and social media:В International and domestic violent extremists have developed an extensive presence on the Internet through messaging platforms and online images, videos, and publications.The FBI relies on partnerships and tips from the public to identify and thwart these attacks. Without a clear group affiliation or guidance, lone offenders are challenging to identify, investigate, and disrupt. These individuals often radicalize online and mobilize to violence quickly. Lone offenders:В Terrorist threats have evolved from large-group conspiracies toward lone-offender attacks.Many factors have contributed to the evolution of the terrorism threat on both the international and domestic fronts, such as: The threat of domestic terrorism also remains persistent overall, with actors crossing the line from exercising First Amendment-protected rights to committing crimes in furtherance of violent agendas. Years after these attacks, the threat landscape has expanded considerably, and international terrorism remains a serious threat. The FBI is committed to remaining agile in its approach to the terrorism threat, which has continued to evolve since the Septemterror attacks.

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