Large July 4 celebrations may be 'attractive targets' for US attacks

The day before the United States’ birthday, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued bulletins stating that lone offenders and individual groups pose the biggest threat to ‘large-scale firework celebrations’ in cities like New York and San Francisco and Las Vegas.

There has been a ‘heightened threat environment’ in the US since the attack in Israel in October fueling individuals with an agenda, said senior investigative correspondent Aaron Katersky of ABC News, which obtained the intelligence bulletins.

‘The political environment of the country certainly doesn’t help,’ he said on Wednesday morning.

‘So police are being told by the police department to be on watch for these types of things which are notoriously difficult to guard against.’

The threats can take on different forms depending on the city.

New York City has the nation’s largest event with the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show, shooting off from barges on the Hudson River for the first time in a decade. This year’s spectacle will include 60,000 fireworks with 30 colors.

‘Police will have boats in the water where barges are launching the fireworks, will be monitoring the crowd using drones and helicopters and it’s just a lot of man power that goes into keeping these crowds safe,’ Katersky said.

Large Fourth of July celebrations are 'attractive targets' for attackers, according to FBI and DHS bulletins — Large Fourth of July celebrations are ‘attractive targets’ for attackers, according to FBI and DHS bulletins (Picture: Getty Images)

Meanwhile in San Francisco, where petty crime has become a problem, there can be ‘targets of opportunity there for thieves’ as well as a larger threat of violence, according to Katersky.