The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is responding to an alleged threat against military personnel living in Solvang, according to department spokesperson Kelly Hoover, who didn’t specify the nature of the response.
The threat was posted online by an Islamic militant group known as the Islamic State, or ISIS. Hoover said that the Sheriff’s Office was aware of a threat and notified the deputies who regularly patrol the area.
“We are taking appropriate action and are communicating with the FBI, which is the agency handling the investigation,” Hoover said. “Due to the ongoing investigation, we are unable to comment any further.”
Officials from the FBI office in Los Angeles didn’t release many details, saying only that the bureau is working with various law enforcement agencies on the matter.
“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,” the FBI said in an emailed statement to the Sun.
The New York Times reported on March 21 that a list of 100 addresses of military personnel was published on the Internet by an ISIS affiliate called the Islamic State Hacking Division. The list included addresses from 23 states and five cities in California, including one in Solvang.
Solvang Mayor Jim Richardson told the Sun on March 26 that police notified him of the alleged threat, but he didn’t know who it specifically targeted.
The Times reported that the Internet post urged ISIS followers in the United States to kill the military servicemen on the list.
Although Hoover wasn’t specific on what action law enforcement agencies are taking to deal with the threat, she did ask for the public’s help.
“We remind the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement right away,” Hoover said.
This article appears in Apr 2-9, 2015.