The mouse experiment is complete, now it's time for humans... The mouse experiment is complete, now it's time for humans...

"In a year when the threat of terrorism was already high, the ongoing war in the Middle East has taken the threat of attacks against Americans in the United States to a whole new level," Wray said in his speech to the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee.

The FBI Director stated that as a result of the "numerous investigations" they have initiated, terrorist organizations are not yet at a size to carry out attacks in the US, but that they are "concerned" about the possibility of attacks on people in the US who are affected by their calls through communication tools.

Wray noted the following:

"Given these calls to action, our most pressing concern is that individuals or small groups could be perversely inspired by events in the Middle East to carry out attacks here at home. This includes homegrown violent extremists inspired by a foreign terrorist organization, homegrown violent extremists targeting Jewish Americans or other faith communities such as Muslim Americans."

In his speech, Wray gave examples of recent incidents in the US in this direction, such as "a suspect in Houston making posts about killing Jews and an American killing a 6-year-old Muslim boy in Chicago."

The FBI Director stated that they are scrutinizing Hamas' overseas connections and that they "do not rule out" the possibility of a possible attack in the US.

It was noteworthy that the statement came close to the end of the law granting additional powers to the FBI.

FBI Director Wray's speech coincided with the December expiration of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which authorizes the agency to monitor all communications used by foreigners abroad, including conversations with US citizens.

"With the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East, imagine if a foreign terrorist organization abroad changed its intentions and unexpectedly directed an agent here who was planning to launch an attack in our backyard," Wray said to persuade committee members, pointing to the importance of continuing FISA powers.

The FBI's use of the authority, which expires in December, has previously been criticized by both houses of the US Congress.

Editor: John Wickey