NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — United States intelligence and law enforcement officials are alarmed by two unrelated terror attacks in Europe last weekend, as well as terror threats to Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna earlier this month, linking these incidents to the current threat environment in the states, according to an NYPD briefing.
"There is no initial indication that the two attacks are linked, however, both incidents underscore the current complex and elevated terrorism/targeted violence threat environment as well as the persistent challenge of low-tech tactics being used against vulnerable targets, including public gatherings and houses of worship," the briefing said, according to ABC News, who first obtained it.
Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism for the NYPD Rebecca Weiner told 1010 WINS that the report, an assessment on the risk environment in the wake of these international incidents, was distributed to the larger security community as part of the department’s public-private global partnership Shield program connecting private security and law enforcement agencies worldwide.
"We constantly adjust based on what we're seeing overseas," Weiner said, who characterized the assessment as an update for the department’s global partners.
The deputy commissioner pointed out the trend of lone actors and radicalized young people, and the potential of a contagion effect from these incidents, as the reason for the update.
"We’ve seen younger and younger individuals who are radicalizing and mobilizing toward violence by, I might add, and this is important, in a wide range of ideologies," Weiner said.
The first attack that raised concern occurred on Friday, Aug. 23 at the “Festival of Diversity” in the German city of Solingen, which was held to celebrate the city’s 650th anniversary. A Syrian man, 26, is accused of assaulting several people with a knife on the city’s central square. Three people were killed and eight others were injured.
The next day, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, without evidence, and stated on its news site that the attacker targeted Christians “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.” The alleged perpetrator turned himself in and is being held as an investigation into the crime and his alleged radical ideology continues.
The second attack that raised alarms happened the next day in the seaside French town of La Grande Motte, outside of a synagogue. Two cars parked at the Beth Yaacov synagogue were set on fire, and two fires were set at entrances to the synagogue.
Five people, including the rabbi, were at the complex when the arson attack took place, though no one was injured. It is being investigated as an attempted assassination linked to and planned by a terrorist group, and a suspect is in custody, authorities said.
"While there are no early indications that these two attacks … are related, they nevertheless underscore the complex and dynamic threat landscape which is comprised of malicious actors from across the ideological spectrum and exacerbated by tense global flashpoints, including the ongoing Israel-Hamas war," the briefing said, according to ABC News.
Weiner also noted the cancellation of several Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna due to terrorism concerns in early August and its relation to security concerns.
"These incidents occur in a broader context of an elevated terrorism threat environment," Weiner said, while emphasizing that "there is so much animus and polarization directed at a wide range of people."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.