Mass State Police Not Aware of Any Jihad ThreatsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff 03:16PM / Friday, October 13, 2023 | |
BOSTON — State police have released a statement regarding "vigilance and readiness" after a former Hamas leader’s call for a "global day of jihad" on Oct. 13.
"At this time we are aware of no specific or credible threats in Massachusetts related to the attack on Israel or the call for jihad by terrorists, but as ever, we remain vigilant and will advise our citizens if that changes," The Massachusettes State Police wrote.
"Please know that we maintain constant vigilance and a consistently high state of readiness to rapidly respond to developing threats, critical incidents, and requests for assistance."
Fear of violence spread on Friday after Khaled Meshaal, former leader of the terrorist group Hamas called for a "Global Day of Jihad" — or attacks against non-Islamists. A number of major cities have increased security.
The statement was in regard to the current conflict between Israel and Hamas.
"Our Fusion Center — our intelligence center — is in constant communication with our local, federal, and international law enforcement partners regarding potential threats, while our Watch Center monitors incidents across the state and region 24/7/365 to provide awareness to incident commanders and coordinate deployment of State Police assets as needed," the state police reported.
"We will continue to communicate with and advise our partners, including the ADL and other organizations of any potential threats. Additionally, we are prepared to support communities and educational institutions with protest and civil disorder response if needed."
On Wednesday, hundreds stood in Pittsfield’s Park Square in solidarity with Israel and to mourn the loss of people killed and kidnapped during the attacks.
The state police urge people to report any suspicious person, object, or activity immediately by calling 911.
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