Bonners Ferry finds way onto ISIS 'hit list'
BONNERS FERRY — Boundary County once again caught a flash of the national spotlight for a dubious and unenviable reason this week when Bonners Ferry was listed on an Islamic State in Syria and Iraq “hit list.”
The list, reportedly generated from online and social media sources of the hometowns of military personnel urged “lone wolf” attacks on soldiers and their families. According to Boundary County Public information Officer Mike Meier, the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office has been working with federal agencies on the investigation of threats to members of the United States armed forces and their families. Bonners Ferry was the only Idaho city on the list of more than 50 cities in 23 states, but other Pacific Northwest cities in Washington state, including Colton, Cheney and Spokane, made the list.
“There has not been a specific threat to any resident of Boundary County,” Meier said in a press release. “All persons and locations that have been identified in the online media ISIS threat have been contacted and the appropriate safety measures have been taken.”
Customs and Border Patrol officials would not comment on whether they had increased security and monitoring at the international border 30 miles north of Bonners Ferry but all levels of local law enforcement are very aware of the threat.
“The FBI is working with various military law enforcement agencies on this matter,” Federal Bureau of Investigations officials said in a statement released this week. “We take all threats to U.S. military members seriously and will continue to work in concert with our federal, state and local partners to address these online posts.”
Boundary County Incident Commander Bob Graham said he had discussed the threat to the county with BCSO officials, and that they had outlined what kind of reaction there would be if there was a credible threat that could involve local agencies.
“We agree that there is a possibility that someone not associated with ISIS could use this as an impetus to cause mischief or seek publicity,” Graham said. “There is not a very strong or even moderate possibility for ISIS themselves to head up something in Boundary County. There is a lot more possibility of a local individual with an axe to grind with state, federal or local government agencies to put out that kind of effort.”
Graham has been particularly concerned about the availability of Tannerite, the brand name for aluminum oxide and ammonium nitrate that can be mixed to create exploding targets and is available at relatively low cost in many sporting goods stores. Large amounts of the material can be very dangerous, Graham says, and have been responsible for some very large and costly forest fires in recent years.
“ISIS itself is not a measurable threat to Boundary County,” he said, “but there are products out there, and people irritated with the government or an individual have that capability easily available.”