Potential terrorism prevention: Chicago Police Department among agencies on high alert amid US involvement in Israel-Iran war
Share this @internewscast.com

CHICAGO (WLS) — As the global community monitors whether the fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel will remain in effect, former federal, local law enforcement, and private security specialists report that police forces are maintaining high alert status, with constant threat assessments being conducted around the clock.

In Chicago on any given day, busy trains, packed buses and city sidewalks are all under constant surveillance.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

And as Americans rally en masse against action in the Middle East, its homeland protection that has police on edge.

“The existence of a ceasefire does not eliminate the risk of attacks on easy targets across the United States. Both law enforcement and the general public should stay extremely cautious in the coming days and weeks,” emphasized Derek Mayer, ABC7 Law Enforcement Expert and former top official with the U.S. Secret Service’s Chicago Field Office.

Police are identifying large outdoor gatherings in Chicago, such as concerts, street festivals, and the forthcoming Pride Parade, as potential major targets.

ABC7’s Police Affairs Consultant Bill Kushner, a former lieutenant with CPD said, “You can’t go into parts of millennial park without going through metal detectors, without being searched, that doesn’t stop vehicle borne devices or a large vehicle ramming through a crowd of people.”

Chicago police told the I-Team in part on Monday, “While there is no actionable intelligence in Chicago at this time, we are closely communicating with our federal and state partners.”

That includes the Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center or STIC, where the I-Team has had rare access to see the 24/7 threat assessment center in action.

“So, there are fusion centers or intelligence centers in every major Police Department in every state, and there’s a great intelligence sharing network that goes on,” explained Kushner.

Mayer also stressed that there is monitoring on levels the public may be unaware of.

“Law enforcement and their intelligence divisions are monitoring social media. They’re monitoring email chatter. They’re trying to find out if there are any bad actors out there.”

ABC News has learned the FBI is now re-allocating potentially thousands of agents away from immigration enforcement work to focus on these kinds of cyberthreats.

Just last week cell phone video captured FBI agents assisting with an immigration operation in Elgin.

Now, agents will try and zero in on the sector that plagues law enforcement around the clock

“I think the biggest concern for myself and for every law enforcement professional in the country are lone wolf terrorists. There’s no doubt there’s sleeper cells within the United States. We’d like to think that the feds have a pretty good handle on where most of them are. It may not be actionable intelligence, but they have a pretty good idea where everybody’s at it’s the lone wolf terrorist, the individual who’s radicalized and he has decided to take action and his radical beliefs, those are the ones that are underneath everybody’s radar,” said Kushner.

The Department of Homeland Security released a bulletin over the weekend warning of foreign terror organizations calling for violence against US assets and people in the Middle East.

But law enforcement said that it could be entirely separate from individuals inspired to commit politically motivated violence on a much smaller scale like many of the attacks we’ve seen recently.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Whale songs get better with age, and the tunes get the gals

Aging Whales Sing Captivating Tunes to Attract Mates: Study Finds

It seems that older male humpback whales have mastered the art of…
Nestlé says 413,793 KitKat candy bars stolen en route from Italy to Poland

Massive Heist: Over 400,000 KitKat Bars Vanish During Transport from Italy to Poland

GENEVA — Nestlé, the Swiss multinational known for its KitKat chocolates, reported…
Crete house fire: 71-year-old Walter Palmer, 16-year-old Kassidy James, 11-year-old Mary James, 7-year-old Ivory James found dead

Tragic House Fire in Crete Claims Four Lives, Including Three Children

A family in Crete, Illinois, is grappling with unimaginable loss after a…
$270M E-3 Sentry spy plane demolished by Iranian attack at Saudi air base

Iranian Strike Destroys $270M E-3 Sentry Spy Plane: Unprecedented Attack at Saudi Air Base

US officials have confirmed the destruction of an American E-3 Sentry aircraft…
Mamdani skips Bernie Sanders' Bronx 'Tax the Rich' rally as tensions over lefty legislation mount with Gov. Hochul

Mamdani Absent from Bernie Sanders’ Bronx Rally Amid Rising Tensions with Gov. Hochul Over Progressive Policies

Supporters of progressive taxation gathered en masse for a “Tax the Rich”…
Vacation rental near Yosemite allegedly used to secretly record guests, 4,000 illegal files found

Yosemite Vacation Rental Scandal: Hidden Cameras Discovered with Over 4,000 Secret Recordings

A vacation rental located near Yosemite National Park in California has become…
California's famous Justin Vineyards settles sexual harassment lawsuit

Justin Vineyards Faces Legal Reckoning: Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Settlement Rocks California Wine Industry

A winery proprietor in California has agreed to a $1.49 million settlement…
Pentagon preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran: report

Pentagon Strategizes Extended Ground Operations in Iran: Report Reveals Weeks-Long Military Preparation

According to a recent report, the Pentagon is gearing up for an…
Benson Boone's 'Wanted Man' tour is heading to Jacksonville

Benson Boone’s ‘Wanted Man’ Tour Set to Electrify Jacksonville: Don’t Miss Out!

Benson Boone is set to dazzle fans at the Vystar Veterans Memorial…
Violent teen ‘fight club’ on SoCal beach draws hundreds of bloodthirsty spectators

Shocking SoCal Beach ‘Fight Club’ Draws Hundreds: Inside the Disturbing Teen Brawl Phenomenon

One of San Diego’s most prestigious coastal areas is grappling with turmoil…
JFK & RFK 'would be making the same kinds of choices' on Iran, Ukraine as 'empath' Trump: RFK Jr.

RFK Jr. Claims JFK and RFK Would Align with Trump’s Decisions on Iran and Ukraine

WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stirred conversation by suggesting that…
California man found dead in back of police car outside station as new details emerge

Shocking Discovery: California Man Found Dead in Police Cruiser – Unveiling the Mysterious Details

Eric Valencia’s loved ones are urging the Azusa Police Department to clarify…