The FBI mentioned it has narrowed its listing of suspects relating to bomb threats earlier this 12 months concentrating on traditionally Black schools and universities (HBCUs) however has additionally expressed concern over attainable copycat threats.
Ryan T. Younger, FBI govt assistant director of intelligence, informed Politico reporter Bianca Quilantan that the bureau believes it has "the bulk" of the threats "slotted down to at least one particular person and a small group." The FBI has investigated 59 bomb threats for the reason that starting of this 12 months, Quilantan added on Twitter.
A wave of bomb threats in opposition to HBCUs started on the finish of January and continued into February, which is Black Historical past Month. On January 31 and February 1, almost 20 schools and universities have been focused with threats, Newsweek beforehand reported. Although not one of the threatened establishments discovered any explosives, every risk precipitated lockdowns that affected college and college students' capacity to maneuver across the campus and to attend their courses.
Younger additionally informed Quilantan no arrests have been made up to now, as there have been "challenges with attribution" as a result of a number of the threats got here "from encrypted platforms." Final month, the FBI named a number of "tech-savvy" juveniles as individuals of curiosity relating to the threats. Younger confirmed that the bureau's present suspect is a juvenile, in line with Quilantan.
The Home Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties held a listening to Thursday to debate how the federal government can "help HBCUs within the face of threats to pupil security and discover reforms to enhance safety on HBCU campuses and improve efforts to forestall home terrorism."
In her opening assertion, oversight committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney quoted former Chairman Elijah Cummings, a graduate of Howard College, one of many focused HBCUs. She mentioned he defined that HBCUs have been established due to previous racist admission insurance policies that rejected Black college students.
"Whereas segregation has ended, structural racism nonetheless exists in society in the present day," Maloney quoted Cummings as saying. "That's the reason HBCUs nonetheless matter."
After quoting Cummings, Maloney continued by saying, "HBCUs matter, and each HBCU pupil issues. That's the reason we should do the whole lot attainable to help them, particularly when they're threatened or attacked."
In a press release, Younger laid out the FBI's plan to help HBCUs, which entails outreach by means of its Workplace of Public Affairs to the faculties and native legislation enforcement.
"Homes of worship and HBCUs, together with different public areas the place individuals collect, require strong safety efforts, which begin with efficient partnerships," the assertion mentioned. "The threats to public areas in our nation are among the many numerous harmful threats that the women and men of the FBI work tirelessly to counter each single day, generally risking their lives within the course of."
Newsweek reported Wednesday that the U.S. Division of Training and Vice President Kamala Harris introduced the HBCUs which have acquired threats are eligible for grant funding through Challenge College Emergency Response to Violence (SERV).
"At the moment's announcement will enhance entry to Challenge SERV grants for HBCUs as these establishments work to deal with college students' psychological well being wants, shore up campus safety and restore studying environments in order that they'll get again to doing what they do greatest—educating the following era of nice leaders," Secretary of Training Miguel Cardona mentioned in a press release.
Replace 03/17/22 1:40 p.m. ET: This story was up to date so as to add extra data.
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