Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday warned that the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan could inspire US-based extremists to plot attacks on American soil.
Wray testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that the domestic terrorism caseload has skyrocketed since the spring of 2020, from around 1,000 possible investigations to 2,700 and extremist groups have never stop plotting attacks on US soil, reported The Hill.
"We are concerned that, with developments in Afghanistan, among other things, that there will be more inspiration to the first bucket," Wray told the committee.
"So I think we anticipate, unfortunately, growth in both categories as we look ahead over the next couple of years," added Wary.
Even National Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid also testified to the committee that the terrorism threat to the country is less "acute" than it was two decades ago after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, reported The Hill.
Abizaid also said that US officials have been monitoring how terror groups Al Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS) could rebuild their forces and conduct an attack on the US.
"In the wake of our withdrawal, the question is, at what point does that regional threat build to a capability and intent that is focused externally and particularly focused on the homeland?" Abizaid said.
"I would say from an intelligence community perspective, that's one of our highest priorities, is just to monitor and assess the degree to which those groups actually present an external threat," added Abizaid.
Afghanistan plunged into crisis last month after Kabul fell to the Taliban and the democratically elected government of then-president Ashraf Ghani collapsed.
( With inputs from ANI )
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