Report: 'Sharp surge of jihadist activities in the U.S.'
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"Publicly available information confirms a sharp surge of jihadist activities in the U.S., especially when compared to dynamics seen in the years since the wave of arrests following 9/11," the report, compiled by the George Washington University Program on Extremism, reads.
Since January 2015, 56 individuals with links to ISIS have been arrested, according to the report. Included in that number are the cases of David Wright and Nicholas Rovinski, local men accused in a conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS, and Alexander Ciccolo, the son of a Boston police captain who stands accused of plotting to commit terrorist acts.
Usaamah Abdullah Rahim, of Roslindale, is also mentioned. Rahim was shot and killed by authorities after he charged them with a knife. He's Wright's cousin, and authorities say the duo was prepared to kill people in the name of ISIS with Rovinski's help.
"It is apparent the U.S. is home to a small but active cadre of individuals infatuated with ISIS's ideology, some of whom have decided to mobilize in its furtherance," the report states.
According to the report, 21 states have had at least one arrest in connection with ISIS-related investigations. New York had the most cases with 13. Of those charged, 58 were American citizens, while six were permanent residents.
However, those facing charges "are merely the tip of the iceberg," according to the report. Researchers discovered "a few dozen individuals with reported ISIS links who have not been charged."
There is no specific threat against Massachusetts right now, state police Lt. Col. Francis Hughes said today.
"We are going to be vigilant with the way things are in the world," he said. "We are regularly briefed by the JTTF (Joint Terrorism Task Force) and FBI on trends... but there is nothing specific right now that this state should be worried about."
Hughes said troopers would be teaming up with local cops to provide security for holiday events in the state.
"Any kind of major event anywhere, be it the marathon or the Fourth of July celebration so any kind of Christmas festivities, we will be working with our local partners," he said. "We take every kind of outside or inside event very seriously when we provide security for it."
Hughes said the statewide intelligence center receives tips from around the world every day, which are then investigated to see if there is any connection to Massachusetts. He also called for the public's help in spotting potential threats.
"We ask people to, if they see something, say something," Hughes said. "That information is put into databases and we follow up with investigations. Every single threat we hear or that we get is followed up on, at some point, to see whether it is or is not a threat."
George Washington researchers also found that there 300 U.S.-based ISIS sympathizers on social media in charge of recruiting and spreading propaganda.
"While American ISIS accounts are suspended with some frequency, these suspensions have become a badge of honor and a means by which an aspirant can bolster his or her legitimacy," the report states.
"In most suspension cases, a new (and often more than one) account with a variation of the previous username is created within hours."
Twitter is "the platform of choice" for American ISIS sympathizers to connect.
--- bob.mcgovern@bostonherald.com
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