Defensive Security Assessments: Low Likelihood of Attack in the U.S. During New Year Holidays

U.S. defense and security agencies believe that the risk of terrorist attacks on American soil during the New Year holidays is low, but it cannot be said that there is no danger at all. Reuters reported on Friday, December 30 (December 10 in the Iranian calendar), citing a newsletter from the U.S. Army, stating that 'there is no specific threat to the U.S. homeland,' although there is always a percentage of threats from 'domestic violent extremists,' which is an 'undeniable' fact. This report refers to another newsletter from the U.S. Army that also assures that 'no specific and probable threat against U.S. Army facilities and personnel during New Year celebrations has been reported.' However, the mentioned newsletter also references two recent issues of the 'Rumiyah' magazine, a propaganda outlet for the group known as 'Islamic State,' stating that this magazine has published information about the possibility of knife attacks or the use of vehicles to run over people in crowded areas. The 'Islamic State' has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Nice, France, and Berlin, Germany, where in both cases, attackers drove trucks into crowded areas, killing dozens. Officials from the U.S. Department of Defense and the Army did not comment on Reuters' request regarding these reports. However, Reuters cites a senior U.S. official, who spoke anonymously, stating that the assessments of the U.S. Army are always consistent with the evaluations of the country's security and intelligence agencies. According to him, some specific threats have caught the attention of security services, but none have been particularly likely. The U.S. was the scene of an attack on a gay club in late June that left about 50 dead, for which the 'Islamic State' also claimed responsibility. In this context, the truck attack during the national celebration in France left 84 dead, and the 'Islamic State' claimed responsibility for the deadly Nice attack. The truck attack on a Christmas market in Berlin left at least 12 dead, and the 'Islamic State' took responsibility for the Berlin attack.