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Former President George W. Bush warned of the threat posed by domestic extremist groups on the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, arguing that there are similarities between “violent extremists in the world. ‘foreigner’ and those ‘at home’.
Speaking at a memorial ceremony near Shanksville, Pa., The site of one of four plane crashes on 9/11, Bush said that even two decades later, “many Americans find it difficult to understand why an enemy would hate us so zealously.”
“The security measures incorporated into our lives are both sources of comfort and reminders of our vulnerability,” he said.
The former president, who was in office at the time of the 2001 attacks, went on to say that Americans “have seen more and more evidence that the dangers to our country can come not only from borders but also from the violence that gathers inside “.
Bush’s mention of domestic extremism comes as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned in recent weeks of heightened security threats in the United States following the withdrawal of the Biden administration from Afghanistan .
Last month, a DHS bulletin warned that the 20th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks could serve as a catalyst for targeted violence and that domestic extremists and anti-government activists could also be spurred on to act by the coronavirus pandemic.
Bush acknowledged on Saturday that while there is “little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home,” there are commonalities in their “contempt for pluralism, in their contempt for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols, ”apparently alluding to the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol.
“They are children of the same filthy spirit, and it is our constant duty to confront them,” he added.
Bush said earlier this year he was “disgusted” by the riot on Capitol Hill, when a host of pro-Trump supporters tried to delay Congress’ ratification of President Biden’s election victory. In a statement after the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, Bush said he was “appalled by the reckless behavior of some of our leaders since the election and the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, traditions and our police forces. “
“The violent assault on Capitol Hill – and the disruption of a constitutionally mandated congressional meeting – was undertaken by people whose passions were inflamed by lies and false hopes,” Bush told the era. “The insurgency could do serious damage to our nation and to our reputation. In the United States of America, it is the fundamental responsibility of every patriotic citizen to uphold the rule of law.”
Bush was joined on Saturday by former First Lady Laura Bush as well as Vice President Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff at the site near Shanksville where Flight 93 crashed into an empty field after passengers and crewmembers were able to overtake Al Qaeda hijackers and hijack the plane from what was believed to be the intended target on 9/11 – the United States Capitol.
Bush also used the speech to salute the unity and resilience displayed by Americans following the 2001 attacks and called on citizens to reject the policy of “fear and resentment”.
“A malicious force seems at work in our common life which turns every disagreement into an argument and every argument into a clash of cultures,” he said.
“On the day of America’s trial and mourning, I saw millions of people instinctively grab a neighbor’s hand and rally together,” he explained. “This is the America I know.”
The former president’s comments also follow growing concerns about the potential for targeted attacks on Afghan refugees arriving in the United States after weeks of evacuation of American citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan following the evacuation of several weeks. the consolidation of the power of the Taliban.
John Cohen, the head of DHS’s intelligence and analysis bureau, reportedly said during a call with law enforcement officials earlier this month that white supremacists and other violent extremist groups online perpetuated narratives that “may incite violent activity directed against immigrant communities, certain religious communities, or even those who are relocated to the United States. “
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