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
Social Security 2026 COLA announcement date revealed: How much will it be?

2026 Social Security COLA Announcement: What You Need to Know About the Increase

The cost-of-living adjustment was set to come out on Wednesday, but was…
Sand cliffs in Fernandina Beach

Fernandina Beach’s Sandy Cliffs

The City of Fernandina Beach reports some of the cliffs are as…
Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation donating $50 million to historically Black Atlanta colleges

Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Pledges $50 Million to Support Historically Black Colleges in Atlanta

ATLANTA (AP) — The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation announced a $50…
Alex Murdaugh’s money man pays the price after admitting role in million-dollar crime scheme

Alex Murdaugh’s Financial Advisor Faces Consequences After Confessing to Multimillion-Dollar Fraud Scheme

A former banker and accomplice of Alex Murdaugh has learned his fate…
Yurem Mejia-Gomez, of Round Lake Beach, charged in 19-year-old's Ingleside shooting death in 35700-block of North Wilson Road

Yurem Mejia-Gomez Accused in Fatal Shooting of 19-Year-Old in Ingleside on North Wilson Road

An individual has been charged following the fatal shooting of a man…
$500,000 scratch-off tickets won by Columbia County, Jacksonville players

Columbia County and Jacksonville Players Win $500,000 Scratch-Off Tickets

Four of the top prizes from the $500,000 CASH BLOWOUT! lottery game…
Woman arrested for allegedly punching child in Knoxville

Woman Allegedly Arrested for Punching Child in Knoxville

Witnesses told police the woman dragged the child by his arm into…
Turning Point leader demands repercussions for UChicago professor arrested at anti-ICE rally

Turning Point Leader Calls for Consequences After UChicago Professor’s Arrest at Anti-ICE Rally

The president of the Turning Point USA chapter at the University of…
Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2025: More than 50K athletes step off from marathon route at Grant Park; street closures in place

2025 Chicago Marathon: Over 50,000 Runners Hit the Streets from Grant Park; Road Closures Announced

CHICAGO (WLS) — Tens of thousands of runners stepped off for the…
Blue city DA says repeat drug offenders 'will not respect the law' under current system

District Attorney Criticizes Current System, Claims Persistent Drug Offenders “Disregard the Law” in Blue City

In San Francisco, Democratic District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has taken a stance…
Assault on Columbus statues sparked Italian-American groups to band together and fight back: community leader

Vandalism of Columbus Statues Unites Italian-American Organizations to Defend Their Heritage: Community Leader

Five years after statues of storied Italian explorer Christopher Columbus were toppled,…
Small plane crashes in Fort Worth, reportedly leaving two dead and trucks ablaze

Two Dead and Trucks Engulfed in Flames Following Small Plane Crash in Fort Worth

A small plane crash in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday reportedly left…