Jewish institutions targeted by 'swatting' from outside US: FBI

Jewish institutions targeted by ‘swatting’ from outside US: FBI

Swatting is making a fake threat with the aim of a large police response
Around 200 Jewish institutions were targeted by swatting over the weekend
FBI says the swatters are connected, not based in the United States

Updated: Dec 21, 2023 / 04:59 PM CST

FILE – The J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building, home to the FBI headquarters, is seen, June 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

(NewsNation) — A memo sent out by the FBI says officials believe numerous hoax threats targeting Jewish institutions are coming from the same source, and that a foreign group is behind them.

None of these swatting incidents have involved real explosive devices or posed a credible risk to members of the groups and organizations targeted.

Part of the memo, obtained by NewsNation and first reported on by ABC, states that “at this time, based on similar language and specific email tradecraft used, it appears the perpetrators of these threats are connected.”

“Additionally, these threats appear to be originating from outside of the United States,” the memo said.

The memo said 30 of the FBI’s 56 field offices are investigating the dozens of swatting or hoax bomb threats incidents at Jewish organizations and they are in violation of “multiple federal laws.”

Swatting is when someone calls in a fake emergency at a location to create a large police response.

The Secure Community Network, a non-profit security advisory group for the Jewish community, says it tracked at least 199 bomb threats or swatting calls targeting Jewish groups in half a dozen states last weekend alone.

“We will take every one of these bomb threats, every one of these swatting incidents seriously, but we still need to maintain our ability to be open, welcoming and to continue to function as a Jewish community,” Brad Orsini, senior national security adviser for the Secure Community Network, said.

In a statement to NewsNation, the FBI said it takes hoax threats very seriously because they put innocent people at risk.

“While have no information to indicate a specific and credible threat, we will continue to work with our… partners to gather, share, and act upon threat information,” an FBI spokesperson said.

For the last several weeks the FBI has also been warning about a heightened chance of lone wolf attacks inspired by tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas war.
Officials said public gatherings could be targeted, especially in Jewish, Muslim and other faith communities, so they ask Americans to stay alert and report suspicious activity.