US Jews will face ‘threat of targeted violence’ for at least ‘the next decade’, security expert tells Congress

In testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, an expert tracking threats to Jews said that “the Jewish-Israeli community” in America will face threats for at least the next decade.

“America’s Jewish community is under attack, and we need to take decisive action to save lives and mitigate the escalating threats,” said former FBI officer Kerry Sleeper.

“The threat of targeted violence being faced by the Jewish-Israeli community is complex and continues to evolve; this threat will likely persist for at least the next decade.”

Sleeper, who served in the FBI for 10 years in various high-level positions, currently works as the Deputy Director of Intelligence and Information Sharing for an organization called the Secure Community Network (SCN).

SCN describes itself as “the official safety and security organization of the Jewish community in North America,” and “the Jewish community’s official liaison with federal law enforcement.”

In his role at SCN, Sleeper is “responsible for the 24/7 operations of SCN’s National Jewish Security Operations Command Center and the coordination of intelligence with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other governmental and non-governmental agencies.”

Sleeper told the House subcommittee, “SCN has produced [sic] has warned of rising threat [against Jews and Israelis], exacerbated by online incitement from Iranian-linked groups and designated foreign terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and ISIS,” The Jerusalem Post reported.

He also called on law enforcement at all levels of government to develop a national strategy to track and address the growing threats facing the Jewish community in America.