ISIS Threat To US: Capitol Hill On High Alert Ahead Of 9/11 Due To Increasing Numbers In Terrorist Organization

According to new reports, officials at Capitol Hill are not only preparing memorials services for the 13^th anniversary of 9/11, but also bracing for another possible attack. The added precaution and nervous anxiety surrounding the 2014 anniversary 9/11 comes in the wake of a recent rise in ISIS activities and threats against the United States. According to The Hill, some Senate staff members were told to take extra precautions and keep car keys and wallets on their person at all times, in case the Capitol is evacuated in an emergency situation. Despite the warnings, staff members were not told of any specific threat or impending attack on U.S. soil, but an increased police presence on Capitol Hill this week has not quelled the growing nerves of residents and staffers.

In regard to the anniversary of 9/11, there will be multiple layers of security enhancements throughout the Capitol Complex; some measures will be visible and others will not,” said Officer Shennell Antrobus, the public information officer for the U.S. Capitol PD. Additionally, Antrobus stated that officers will maintain “a constant state of vigilance” and are set to work closely with other law enforcement departments to share intelligent. “Actionable intelligence information is important as it helps us modify our security plans, when necessary, and coordinate operations,” he said.

Officials have grown more concerned about ISIS potential power and influence in regards to a terrorist attack on U.S. soil in the wake of two journalists being savagely beheaded, and the release of recent reports revealing that American citizens have traveled from the U.S. to Syria to train with ISIS. Rep. Pete King, the former chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, stated that ISIS now poses a greater domestic threat than al Qaeda did in the aftermath of 9/11.

However, security preparations are occurring, President Obama met with his counterterrorism advisers on Tuesday to oversee security plans for 9/11. "The president’s national security team is continuing to take measures to prevent attacks against the homeland and ensure the protection of U.S. persons and facilities abroad — the administration’s top national security priorities," said White House press secretary John Eranest.