UPDATE: Homeland Security warns terrorists may exploit COVID-19 pandemic

As the most reliable and balanced news aggregation service on the internet, DML News App offers the following information published by ABCNews.GO.com:

A Department of Homeland Security memo sent to law enforcement officials around the country warns that violent extremists could seek to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic by carrying out attacks against the U.S.

“Violent extremists probably are seeking to exploit public fears associated with the spread of COVID-19 to incite violence, intimidate targets and promote their ideologies, and we assess these efforts will intensify in the coming months,” according to the intelligence bulletin, compiled by the agency’s Counterterrorism Mission Center and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office.

At this time, DHS said it has “no information indicating any active plotting is underway,” but that it has observed certain extremist groups, both foreign and domestic, looking to spread misinformation about the coronavirus. The memo, which was circulated on Monday, comes after assurances from FBI Director Chris Wray in a video message that agents would be even more vigilant in monitoring threats to the U.S. as the virus spreads.

FBI Director Wray tapes video message on COVID-19: “With all the worry and uncertainty out there, we want the public to know that there are still things they can count on: we’re here, and we’re going to stay here, to protect them, no matter what.” https://t.co/BYCKXFWJlW

— Alex Mallin (@alex_mallin) March 19, 2020

White supremacists are encouraging their members to spread coronavirus to police and Jews, according to the FBI’s New York office, @abcnews reports. https://t.co/rOoMx4w3ob

— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) March 23, 2020

BREAKING: Antisemitic hate groups are seeking to weaponize the coronavirus!

Good work by the FBI, but we must remain vigilant as sick people seek to exploit the pandemic for nefarious aims.https://t.co/7bKIgTTCVC

— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) March 23, 2020

***LATEST UPDATE:

*Coronavirus cases worldwide: 440,145

*Total confirmed deaths: 19,751

*Recovered patients: P;L[111,942