Military Bases Under Heightened Security After Threats

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is under heightened security, along with other bases around the country, after an unverified threat by ISIS that it has soldiers trained in more than a dozen states and ready to strike.

The Joint Base released a statement on its Facebook page on Friday, saying, “Due to activities worldwide, the U.S. Northern Command directed an increase in force protection measures at all Department of Defense installations. As a result, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst leadership has increased security measures throughout the joint base to enhance the safety of our community.”

The heightened security comes days after ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack at an event in Texas featuring caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

It also comes just three weeks after an “unfounded” explosives threat caused an hours-long lockdown at Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway on April 17 after security guards became suspicious of a truck driver who tried to gain access to the U.S. Army facility.

The driver, Petr Cifka, 46, a citizen of the Czech Republic, remains in custody pending immigration proceedings, Patch reported.

In March, a U.S. Air Force veteran from Neptune was indicted by a federal grand jury on terrorism charges because he planned to travel to Syria to join ISIS.

Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh, 47, was arrested on charges of attempting to provide material support to the terrorist group and obstruction of justice. He entered a plea of not guilty and is awaiting trial.

>> RELATED: N.J. Air Force Vet Enters Not Guilty Plea To Charge He Sought To Join ISIS

Earlier this week, an online message signed by “Abu Ibrahim Al Ameriki” said the incident in Texas was “only the beginning of our efforts to establish a wiliyah (authority or governance) in the heart of our enemy.”

It went on to claim ISIS has 71 trained soldiers in 15 states who are “ready at our word to attack any target we desire.”

On Thursday, FBI Director James Comey told reporters there are thousands of ISIS, also known as ISIL, followers online in the United States, CNN is reporting.

“We have a general concern, obviously, that ISIL is focusing on the uniformed military and law enforcement,” he said.

The order increasing the FPCon level at military installations was signed by Admiral William Gortney, head of the U.S. Northern Command, which oversees all U.S. military installations in the continental U.S.

“We have the same concern about the potential threat posed by violent homegrown extremists,” Captain Jeff Davis, spokesman for the U.S. Northern Command, said.

Penny Carroll, chief of public affairs at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan, said the Force Protection Condition (FPCon) security level has been increased from Alpha to Bravo, The Detroit News is reporting.

The Force Protection Condition, casually known as FPCon, is a five-tier system ranking security concerns overseen by the Pentagon. The Bravo level is in the middle of the scale, and is defined as an “increased and predictable threat of terrorism.”

The Joint Base MDL statement said the heightened security may result in traffic congestion and delays at the gate entering the base.

The Joint Base statement warned its personnel and the community to stay vigilant.

“Don’t forget ... if you see something, say something. Report any suspicious activity to the Base Defense Operations Center at 609) 754-6001.

CNN has a database of Americans who are linked to ISIS.

With additional reporting by Beth Dalbey.

(Photo credit: Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Facebook page.)