The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday it's increasing security at some federal buildings in Washington, D.C., and other major U.S. cities in the wake of threats from terrorist organizations and recent attacks on the Canadian Parliament and military personnel, as well as other Western government institutions.
"Given world events, prudence dictates a heightened vigilance in the protection of U.S. government installations and our personnel," said Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who didn't say which facilities would get tighter security or what those new measures were. He said the decision was a "precautionary" move in response to general threats, but he also specifically mentioned "acts of violence targeted at government personnel and installations in Canada and elsewhere" as a reason.
Canadian investigators have said Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the man who killed a Canadian soldier before storming the Parliament building last week in Ottawa, was driven by "ideological and political" motives. They have also said Martin Rouleau, who drove his car into two Canadian soldiers, killing one, in Quebec this month was a radicalized Muslim who had links to other suspected fundamentalists.
IN-DEPTH
- Canadian Parliament Shooter Made Video Before Attack, Police Say
- Man Who Killed Soldier With Car Was Radical Muslim, Authorities Say
— M. Alex Johnson
