Law enforcement on alert for 4th of July terror threats

There are reports that radical terror groups like ISIS is plotting attacks on US Soil. 

As metro Detroiters gear up for the Fourth of July, law enforcement agencies are preparing for the worst.

The federal government is warning an attack on American soil is very much a possibility.

"I think it's just kind of what we see happening around the world, what just happened in North Africa in france in Kuwait," said Andy Arena, former Detroit FBI chief. 

Arena says recent ISIS planned or inspired attacks from a beheading in France to a gunman opening fire on tourists in Tunisia and coordinated strikes on Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula are raising plenty of concerns here at home.

"Usually you got a  lot of people conspiring," Arena said. "But what you've got is a group like ISIS radicalizing lone wolves. So they're not conspiring with anybody. And the other thing is they're just saying freelance it, go out there, find a target and do what you gotta do.  So that's a lot more difficult to track."

In fact it was just two months ago ISIS claimed to have trained soldiers in Michigan awaiting orders.

Michigan State Police Lt. Michael Shaw says while there are no direct threats to Michigan or the United States - everyone  should still keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

"We'd rather go out there and find a hundred false packages or suitcases that end up being just that, suitcases that somebody accidentally left behind," Shaw said. "Than miss out on something that everybody walked past and an incident does occur."

Osama Siblani is the publisher of the Arab-American News in Dearborn and says:
 
"What we have seen last week  around the world, we're not immune to it," Siblani said. "So staying vigilant and being prepared is a good idea."

FOX 2: "When people hear that the federal government and local law enforcement agencies are on alert for a potential terrorist attack, people want to know if there self-policing in the Arab-American community." 

"For the Muslims to be vigilant, I think we all should be vigilant -  Muslims and non-Muslims alike," Siblani said. "Isis is not really targeting only non-Muslims. Actually they're targeting more Muslims than non-Muslims and they have been killing more Muslims. I would be worried about people worshiping in a mosque."

However you plan to celebrate Independence Day, pay attention to your surroundings and keep your eyes open for anything suspicious. If you spot something out of place call police or the state police hotline at 1-855-MICH-TIP.