Lifting of COVID-19 Restrictions Will Likely Cause a Reemergence of Attacks and Other Violent Extremist Activity, according to Analysis

The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions on populations in the U.S. and elsewhere will likely cause a reemergence of attacks and other violent extremist activity, says a new analytic report from the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP). The report notes that while attacks and deaths decreased across the globe as a result of the pandemic and restrictions, violent extremist groups used the time to increase online recruitment activities, spread disinformation and conspiracy theories, and modify their strategies for attack. This includes by modifying their tactics to target critical infrastructure, with a particular focus on telecommunications and government facilities. But with the lifting of restrictions, the report observes violent extremist groups and individuals may return to “pre-pandemic actions.” Read the report at NJOHSP.