'Like before 9/11': The terror expert sounding the alarm on America's streets

2026-03-15 - 15:28

A day after the attempted attack on Temple Israel in the city of West Bloomfield, Michigan, in which an attacker drove a truck loaded with explosives through the compound's gates before being stopped by security personnel who successfully neutralized him, the debate in the US over the threat of domestic terrorism and violent extremism has resurfaced. Just a week earlier, two young men from Pennsylvania had been arrested in New York after attempting to hurl improvised explosive devices packed with nails and screws at demonstrators near the mayor's residence at Gracie Mansion. Although both incidents ended without fatalities, they have sharpened fears of attacks – often targeting Jewish sites – at the heart of American cities. Devorah Halberstam, one of New York's most prominent figures in the fight against terrorism and hate crimes, says these cases should not be viewed as isolated. "I have never looked at any act of terrorism as an isolated incident," she said. "It is only a matter of time before things like this happen." Halberstam, a member of the Chabad community and a counter-terrorism and hate crime expert who has been active in the city's public arena for decades, currently heads two key bodies: she serves as chair of the board of commissioners at the mayor's office for combating antisemitism, and as chair of the NYPD's civilian panel for reviewing hate crimes. Halberstam experienced terrorism firsthand. In 1994, her eldest son, Ari, 16, was shot dead in an attack carried out by an undocumented immigrant of Lebanese origin on the Brooklyn Bridge. This interview is taking place exactly 32 years after that tragedy. In the interview with Israel Hayom, she warns that the danger is ever-present. She said that the recent sequence of events illustrates just how strained the security environment has become. Halberstam noted that "we are living in very serious times" and made clear that "yesterday was not a good day – attacks occurred at multiple locations." She stressed the need for law enforcement authorities "to keep their eyes wide open and pay attention to what is happening, both locally and internationally," especially given that "the Jewish community is at great risk." Devorah Halberstam (Photo: Courtesy) Nevertheless, Halberstam noted that law enforcement "did an outstanding job protecting the community" in the recent incidents. She said that the public is often entirely unaware of foiled attacks. "When the FBI or one of the investigative agencies stops a plot, they don't always tell the public about it, and rightly so. But when an incident actually happens, as here, it can no longer be hidden." She stressed that many perpetrators are not known to authorities beforehand. "Very often, these are people who are completely new to this field. They have no criminal record, no known connection to any organization, and then suddenly something inspires them, and they decide to act." In her assessment, the combination of incitement on social media and the explosive political climate risks creating fertile ground for terrorism. "If you follow Instagram and social media, you see so much hatred there that it gives you chills. Terrorism is just one of the ways people vent that hatred." According to Halberstam, New York will remain a prime target for attacks because of its singular status. "New York is the center of the world. People come to it from every country and for every possible reason. If someone wants to make an impact, they do it in New York. That is why the city will always be more vulnerable." Halberstam also stressed the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies, both within the United States and on the international stage. In her view, the fight against terrorism demands close coordination between local, state, and federal agencies. "Inter-agency cooperation is one of the most important lessons we have learned," she said. "You cannot hold information close to the chest, because sometimes one agency holds a small detail that connects to the bigger picture at another agency." She said that such cooperation is equally vital at the international level, since "there is one clear common denominator – no country wants terrorism on its soil, and so it is essential to share information between governments and security agencies." New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference at Grand Army Plaza in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, US, January 2, 2026 (Photo: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon) Halberstam also warned of the threat posed by "sleeper cells" in the United States – individuals or groups living in the country as ordinary citizens who remain dormant for years until activated. The issue has received heightened attention following the US attack on Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury, amid fears of Iranian retaliation inside the US. "This is not something new. There were cells like this even before 9/11. The real threat today is from people who have lived here for years, sometimes even American citizens, but whose loyalty is not to this country," – as was indeed the case in the Michigan attack and the Gracie Mansion incident. She said this situation makes the work of the security services especially complicated. "It is a needle in a haystack. We need to be more thorough in our investigations and constantly ask ourselves whether we are doing enough. As far as I am concerned, the answer is that it is never enough." "This is Mamdani's personal response" She emphasized how small the margin between a foiled attack and a major disaster can sometimes be. "You only need one bomb to go off. The subway is a closed system packed with a large number of people. If you have a bomb and you throw it in there, the impact can be enormous, because it is an entire system that can explode," she said. "Imagine the chaos that could create." In the wake of the attempted attack in New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the acts, but not before denouncing the rally itself, which included members of the right wing, as "rooted in prejudice and racism," in what was perceived as drawing a moral equivalence between the two events. "The mayor's response is his personal response," she said, clarifying that the investigation is now in the hands of the FBI and the federal prosecutor. Alongside the security threat, Halberstam also pointed to the sharp rise in antisemitism in the United States, particularly since the Hamas attack on October 7. Among the violent incidents recorded in recent months was an attempted vehicle ramming roughly six weeks ago at the global Chabad headquarters in Brooklyn, her own community. A driver accelerated toward the compound's gate in an attempt to break through, but was stopped. That incident, too, passed miraculously without casualties. "The moment the door opened, and they began using language against Jews again, it became a slippery slope. Suddenly, it's coming from all directions," she said. She stressed that Jewish institutions have become a recurring target for hate crimes. "We don't put up security because we want to. We do it because we are targeted again and again. The numbers on antisemitic attacks are not made up – they come straight from NYPD data." She was asked which type of terror threat concerns her most. "When you talk about terror threats, the answer is always all of them: organized networks, individuals who have radicalized online, or anything else. Each one can cause destruction." She warned against complacency. "Anyone working in this field cannot afford a moment of calm." At the close of the interview, Halberstam added a note of faith to her words. "All we can do is hope and pray, trust the people who need to be out there, watching and doing the job, and hope that God will be with us."