BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WDNews)
– Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall on Tuesday led a specialized training session for law enforcement officers and federal partners, focused on threats of campus extremism and antisemitism.
The event was held in Birmingham in partnership with George Washington University and the Chabad of Alabama. It aimed to equip law enforcement with fact-based, current analysis of extremist movements active in the United States.
“We are witnessing a disturbing surge in violent attacks against Jewish Americans by radical extremists—an unacceptable and growing threat unfolding right here at home. Recent incidents, including the shocking acts of terror in Boulder, Colorado, and Washington, D.C., underscore the urgency of confronting this hatred head-on,” Attorney General Marshall said. “As we work to address antisemitic violence, especially on college campuses, it is critical that we equip Alabama’s law enforcement and campus administrators with every available resource. Today’s training delivered vital information and tools to help local leaders identify and disrupt the key players, tactics, and narratives fueling this dangerous network.”
The first session, titled “Campus Extremism and Hamas in the United States,” was led by Lara Burns, a retired FBI special agent and terrorism researcher. Using internal Hamas documents and evidence from federal cases, Burns presented a detailed history of Hamas activities in the U.S. and shared indicators to help identify and counter its influence.
The second session featured David Zimmerman, a retired FBI supervisory special agent and current senior research fellow. Zimmerman shared firsthand insights from his time serving in Israel during and after the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks, offering a rare look into the operational challenges of countering global terrorism and its ties to domestic extremism.
The training is part of Marshall’s broader effort to position Alabama as a national leader in addressing terrorism, protecting civil society, and supporting the Jewish community.
