Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
30 April 2015
IA-0173-15
(U) Warning: This document is UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (U//FOUO). It contains information that may be exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). It is to be
controlled, stored, handled, transmitted, distributed, and disposed of in accordance with DHS policy relating to FOUO information and is not to be released to the public, the media, or other personnel who do not have a valid
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(U) This product contains US person information that has been deemed necessary for the intended recipient to understand, assess, or act on the information provided. It has been highlighted in this document with the label
USPER
and should be handled in accordance with the recipient's intelligence oversight and/or information handling procedures.
(U) Overview
(U//FOUO) On 3 May 2015 the American Freedom Defense InitiativeUSPER (AFDI) is
sponsoring in Garland, Texas a Muhammad Art Exhibit & Contest, for the stated purpose of
defend[ing] free speech and not give[ing] in to violent intimidation. The FBI and DHS assess
this motivation refers to deadly violent extremist attacks over recent months on institutions or
events perceived as defaming the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. Although there is no specific,
credible intelligence concerning threats to the event thus far, we assess that this event carries
the risk of being targeted by violent extremists because past events involving the alleged
defamation of Islam and the prophet, Muhammad, have resulted in threats or overt acts of
violence overseas, to include threats against both artists and publishers.
(U//FOUO) In February 2015, a violent extremist conducted a small arms attack against
a free speech forum being held at a caf in Copenhagen, Denmark, which featured
Swedish cartoon artist Lars Vilks, who has drawn cartoons of the prophet, Muhammad.
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(U//FOUO) Online supporters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and
al-Qaida affiliate al-Shabaab have posted links to the contest announcement on Twitter,
urging retaliation, including unspecified lone offender attacks.*
(U//FOUO) A Seattle cartoonist called online in April 2010 for an Everybody Draw
Muhammad Day. Days later, the cartoonist received numerous death threats, and
Anwar al-Aulaqinow deceased director of Western operations for AQAPissued a
religious decree stating that the cartoonist was a prime target for execution. The
cartoonist, along with Vilks, Wilders, and Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier,
was included on AQAPs suggested list of targets in several issues of AQAPs
English-language magazine, Inspire. As a result, the cartoonist changed her identity,
moved from her residence at the advisement of the FBI, and has been in hiding ever
since.
(U//FOUO) There is no identified domestic violent extremist threat involving the event
at this time.
(U) Outlook
(U//FOUO) Although past events involving the alleged defamation of Islam and the prophet,
Muhammad, have resulted in threats or overt acts of violence overseas, we have not yet seen
such violence in the United States. The most frequent reaction among US-based homegrown
violent extremists (HVEs) is discussion and verbal disapproval via online communication
platforms, including websites with violent extremist content and social media sites. We assess
it is unlikely that any one event perceived to defame Islam would alone mobilize HVEs to
violence; however, such events are incorporated into violent extremist messaging and narratives
involving Western persecution of Muslims, which we do assess overall to contribute to
radicalization to violence. US-based HVEs remain largely unconnected to each other, and their
behaviors are often highly individualized, impeding our ability to predict their reactions with a
great deal of confidence. We also judge US-based HVEs and violent extremists in other
Western nations who are skilled in information technology have the capability to carry out a
cyber-intrusion attack against organizations or individuals perceived to be defaming Islam.
(U//FOUO) The FBI and DHS define a lone offender as an individual motivated by one or more violent extremist
ideologies who, operating alone, supports or engages in acts of violence in furtherance of that ideology or ideologies
that may involve influence from a larger terrorist organization or a foreign actor.
(U//FOUO) The FBI and DHS define an HVE as a person of any citizenship who has lived and/or operated primarily
in the United States or its territories who advocates, is engaged in, or is preparing to engage in ideologically
motivated terrorist activities (including providing support to terrorism) in furtherance of political or social objectives
promoted by a foreign terrorist organization, but is acting independently of direction by a foreign terrorist
organization. HVEs are distinct from traditional domestic terrorists who engage in unlawful acts of violence to
intimidate civilian populations or attempt to influence domestic policy without direction from or influence from a
foreign actor.
(U//FOUO) The FBI and DHS define radicalization as the process through which an individual changes from a
non-violent belief system to a belief system that includes the willingness to actively advocate, facilitate, or use unlawful
violence as a method to effect societal or political change.
*
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(U//FOUO) We assess that ongoing, comprehensive collection efforts on terrorist threats and
the local security posture increase the likelihood of detecting and identifying US-based HVEs and
other US-based violent extremists who may be targeting this event and its participants. We
nevertheless urge vigilance by security officials for indications of preoperational activity claiming
linkage to the event or threatening participants, or American Muslims and their places of
worship.
(U) Behaviors Associated with Individual Radicalization and Mobilization to
Violence
(U//FOUO) Some observed activities that may be suspicious include constitutionally protected
activity. These activities should not be reported absent of articulable facts and circumstances
that support the source agencys suspicion that the observed behavior is not innocent, but
rather reasonably indicative of criminal activity associated with terrorism, such as indications
including indicators not necessarily assumed present in this caseof material support to
terrorist groups, indications of violent extremist radicalization or mobilization, and indications of
travel overseas to engage in violence.
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Product Title: (U//FOUO) Muhammad Art Exhibit & Contest in Texas on 3 May Likely to Prompt Violent Extremist Reaction Abro
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