Given the heightened terrorism threat level, comparable to that of 9/11, and the recent assassination attempt on former President Trump, it’s crucial for corporate security to prioritize comprehensive preparedness for all potential threats. Sadly, we are once again facing an escalating threat environment. Are we paying attention this time?

Recent intelligence suggests that terrorists and violent extremists are more energized than ever, and the risk of attacks on U.S. soil is rising. It’s imperative for corporate and private security to take immediate, proactive measures to mitigate these threats and protect their people and assets.

What We Learned After 9/11

Overall, the 9/11 Commission, in chapter 11.4 of their report, listed nine “missed opportunities” by the CIA, FBI, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and air transportation authorities, but found that had they been acted upon individually, the attacks would have still likely occurred.

Accordingly, the U.S. government implemented many of the Commission’s finding resulting in the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the creation of the Air Marshal program within the Transportation Security Agency (TSA), the creation of a fully integrated National Counterterrorism Center, the passage of the USA Patriot Act, and the mitigation of restrictions on intelligence sharing between the FBI and CIA, just to name a few.

While the United States has remained under constant threat of attack since 9/11: many of the new programs, tools and improvements to the operating environment have contributed to the fact that no spectacular coordinated terror attacks have occurred within the U.S. since then. This has helped to shift the landscape towards radicalized individuals and “Lone Wolves” as many of the new counter terror initiatives and programs have made it more difficult for foreign terrorists to operate as freely as they did before 9/11.

The Current Threat Environment

Recently, senior government officials have noted that terrorists and violent extremists interested in targeting the U.S. and our Western allies appear to be more energized than at any time in recent years.

The domestic radicalization of terrorists remains a top concern, particularly with the prevalence of terrorist propaganda being spread via social media, online forums, and other internet platforms.

Recently on June 4th, FBI Director Wray Christopher Wray, in a statement to the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, outlined the current threat environment:

“…there was already a heightened risk of violence in the United States before October 7. Since then, we’ve seen a rogue’s gallery of foreign terrorist organizations call for attacks against Americans and our allies. Given those calls for action, our most immediate concern has been that individuals or small groups will draw twisted inspiration from the events in the Middle East to carry out attacks here at home.”

The U.S. in the Crosshairs

It is clear that the U.S. continues to be a desirable terrorist target. Recent statements from radical groups and media reports include direct references to the U.S. and U.S. targets. For example, the following statements were made in the last several weeks:

• July 16, news outlets reported that the U.S. received intelligence of an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump weeks before the attempt. While there doesn’t appear to be a connection between the alert and the actual shooter, “this attack reinforces our assessment that election-related targets are under a heightened threat of attack or other types of disruptive incidents,” stated a joint intelligence bulletin by Homeland Security and the FBI.
• July 1, The Hill reported that U.S. Military bases in Europe went on higher alert than when they were raised to condition “Charlie ” on June 29 because of the Euro cup and the upcoming Olympics.
• June 10, a Foreign Affairs titled “The Terrorism Lights are Blinking Red Again” outlined recent warnings by various government officials that “the echo the run up to 9/11.”
• On June 1st, an ISIS-affiliated terrorist group published an English-language poster threatening U.S. civilians and military forces around the world with suicide attacks in revenge for the deaths of “Muslims in Palestine, Syria, and elsewhere.”
• On May 30th, al Qaeda released a statement regarding the Gaza conflict and called for the assassination and beheading of “Zionists.” It further called on Muslims to conduct jihad and to target Jewish individuals, Americans, and those who associate with them. It finished by asking Allah to bless a shooting attack against an unspecified target.
• On May 28th, an ISIS-affiliated media channel released a poster threatening New York’s Nassau County International Stadium, one of the T20 Cricket World Cup venues. The poster threatened the match between India and Pakistan and featured a drone flying over the stadium with dynamite and a ticking clock.

Security and Emergency Preparedness

As the U.S. government implemented the 9/11 commission recommendations to strengthen security in the public sector over the years, what can organizations do to prepare for the possibility of terrorist violence in this heightened threat environment?

To proactively prepare your organization’s security posture and protect your people, facilities, and assets from potential terrorist violence, follow these six key assessment areas outlined by our team of experienced experts in physical, cyber, and border security, as well as counterterrorism, national security, and risk mitigation.

1. Threat Assessment: Review your existing threat assessment or engage an independent security consultant to assist you in conducting a current security and vulnerability assessment. Significant areas of focus should include.

• Physical security systems including access control, security cameras, and visitor management systems.
• Cybersecurity and IT enterprise systems
• Implement enhanced background checks for visitors where appropriate

Are you a “soft target?” These organizations are in industries with a higher public profile that could be considered soft targets, such as stadiums, arenas, skyscrapers, public government and corporate lobbies, hospitals, schools, universities, data centers and houses of worship.

2. Situational Awareness: Monitor open-source intelligence to assess current local threats. Guidepost Solutions has supported multiple clients by designing and/or managing their Global Operation Centers (GSOC) to maintain awareness of all threats, assets and staffing

3. Security Posture: Conduct risk mitigation assessments, penetration testing and red-teaming exercises to review the security posture of their facilities. If your in-house security team is not equipped to do this, engage a third-party security expert skilled at performing these types of assessments. Make sure this includes a vulnerability and threat assessment for senior leadership to determine if executive protection or enhanced physical security of their offices and residences are necessary.

4. Business Continuity Planning: Review planning assumptions to understand how a major incident could disrupt business operations, supply chains, transportation, and communications. Plans must ensure that an organization makes efforts to keep employees safe and the business moving forward.

5. Emergency Response Planning: Update emergency plans to focus on likely terrorist scenarios such as active assailant, arson, bomb threats, vehicle ramming, to name a few. Plans should be continually reviewed and current policies and procedures adjusted to align with the changing threat environment.

6. Training, Drills, and Exercises: Develop and conduct training, drills, and exercises, including tabletop exercises, classroom, and online training tailored to various levels of responsibility within your organization. Our team has supported our clients in these measures by using our far-reaching network to include local and federal law enforcement as part of the training.

The Bottom Line

Overall, the terrorism threat to the U.S. is diverse and dynamic, involving both domestic and international terrorists. The CIA, DHS, the FBI, and many other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are actively working to identify terrorists, disrupt their activities, and stop their planned attacks. Despite these extensive efforts, it is still essential that organizations prepare for possible terrorist violence, protect their facilities, and train their employees to respond in the event of a significant incident. Partnering with an independent consultant experienced in conducting threat assessments, identifying security gaps, and providing recommendations can enhance these preparations and create a safer environment