“It’s not if they are going to attack, it’s just when they are.”
That’s what Ohio’s Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said after attending the National Sheriffs’ Association Conference in Washington, D.C, held Feb. 3-6, according to the Journal-News. At the conference, FBI officials warned sheriffs from across the country about imminent terrorist attacks on the U.S.
“There are people already here who have come to this country who hate us and want to kill us,” Jones warned. He’s on a mission to make sure his department is prepared.
At the National Sheriff’s Association Conference last week, Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones heard warnings from the FBI of imminent terrorist attacks on the U.S., and he is out to make sure his department is prepared. @journalnews https://t.co/2eEXdcmkxm
— Lauren Pack (@LPackJN) February 7, 2024
The new generation of terrorists is sophisticated. The FBI warned the sheriffs that terrorists could utilize cyberattacks to cripple power grids and cause train derailments. Cells of terrorists could target multiple areas of the country.
The sheriff’s office is “getting five cyberhack attempts a day by the Chinese, three times a day by the Iranians, and we got hacked two years ago by the Russians,” Jones said. “And that is not just us. I assume they are doing that all over the country.”
The Chinese have the U.S. outnumbered 50 to 1 in people working on cyberattacks and prevention, Jones said. “Their deal is to cause us disruption in our county. To cause chaos in our country, not like next week — now. From the red flags and chatter that they (FBI) are hearing.”
The FBI advised the sheriffs that people have already come across the border to “do harm to us … that they have never seen it this bad,” Jones continued. Not just a handful either. Thousands of terrorists want to cause chaos across the country. According to Jones, this includes national and local elections.
Is the United States in danger of a terror attack?
“They told us we need to be prepared to talk to local county election people to be prepared. They want us to lose faith in our government,” Jones warned.
To combat the danger, Jones urges state lawmakers to pass legislation in Ohio that allows felony charges to be filed against illegal immigrants, according to WXIX. Jones’s call to arms is similar to a measure in Texas.
Jones also is calling for a state cybersecurity czar to protect government organizations from being hacked by terrorists. He also sees the need for a task force to secure Ohio’s northern border because he says there is now an influx of drugs and weapons coming into America through the Canadian border. This is due to the manpower and resources moved to the southern border.
Terrorists won’t strike only in big cities, according to Jones. They’ll also target smaller cities and rural areas.
“The terrorists are here, we have already been told that, from 160 countries that want to do us harm,” Jones warned. “We have been told by the FBI that they are here and it is just a matter of time before they attack.”
“I am talking about people who want to attack Americans, and I would be a fool to think that is not going to happen. The national government can’t take care of it all. There is more local police than FBI. It all comes down to preparing for it,” Jones said.
Jones’ department is preparing. All cruisers will be equipped with AR-15s and extra ammo, according to WXIX. Hazmat training will also be expanded.
Local law enforcement, however, can’t do it alone. Jones announced that a training class for the public will be held in May, according to the Journal.
The course — “When Disaster Strikes: Prepare, Act, Survive” — will teach citizens in the community to prepare for disaster, survive it and, when necessary, participate in search and rescue operations after a natural disaster or terrorist attack.
Is your community prepared for terrorist attacks or other natural disasters? Are you? Disasters are coming whether you and your community are prepared or not. It’s not if, it’s when.
Contact your local officials about “When Disaster Strikes” training or similar courses. If they aren’t already being offered, why not? Being prepared can make the difference between life and death.
It’s time to act. Now.
