It was definitely the first thought that came to my mind when I first heard about it. Before I knew the details that were known at the time, I thought for sure that this could be an effort carried out by Hamas, Hezbollah, or some of the remnants of ISIS or al-Qaeda. It isn’t as if these groups wouldn't love to pull off such an attack.

Then, I got some more details about the incident and began having doubts, even before Fox News began walking back reports that the authorities claimed the incident was a terrorist act and that the car was full of explosives. Now, we have even more information about what happened on that day. RedState’s Becca Lower published the most up-to-date information on Thursday, noting that the authorities “had found no connection to terrorism,” and were still investigating possibilities such as a mechanical failure or other cause.

The identities of the victims have been confirmed.

The process of figuring out what caused the incident could take more time--there's no trace of the car left but "a burn scar" on part of the bridge. Police have now released what they know about the two people who perished in the explosion--including the fact that they were a husband and wife, and western New York business owners in their 50s:

The victims were a man and his wife from Grand Island, N.Y., both in their 50s, who owned several businesses in western New York, according to Mr. Restaino. He declined to release their names because the family had not been officially notified.

At this point, it makes sense to assume that the Rainbow Bridge explosion was an accident. Yet, the heightened response to the incident reflects a world once again grappling with renewed fears of radical Islamic terrorism. Since October 7, when Hamas launched its surprise attack on Israel and started the current war, talk of the conflict spilling outside of the Middle East has become part of the international conversation.

The war has already prompted a disturbing increase in antisemitism in the West, and in some cases, those advocating for the Palestinians have resorted to violence to push their anti-Israel agenda. But it has also prompted acts of terrorism in France, the United Kingdom, Brussels, and China. The incidents came after one of Hamas’ leaders called for a “Day of Rage” all around the world shortly after the Israel-Hamas war began.

The fear and suspicion that arose after reports about the Rainbow Bridge are not surprising, given the broader context. Indeed, after the Israel-Hamas war began, monitoring the news felt as it did when I used to monitor the airwaves and interwebs after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Sure, the fear is not quite as palpable or urgent as it was in those days, but there is no doubt that it still crosses people’s minds.

Earlier in November, FBI Director Christopher Wray gave a warning while speaking before Congress: that Hamas and other terrorist groups would seek to carry out terrorist attacks on American soil, and that the Bureau is currently investigating Americans with ties to the terrorist group.

After living through a pre-and post-9/11 world, one of my concerns is that the fear America is dealing with now could lead to the government taking advantage of this fear to expand its power and enable its corrupt officials to violate our rights as it did 20 years ago. The Patriot Act is still in effect, and it is not beyond the stretch of the imagination to speculate that another terrorist attack could easily cow the public into allowing the state to pass even more legislation that would give it more authority.

While I am concerned about potential terrorist activity inside our borders, I am even more fearful of further erosion of our civil liberties and natural rights coming from a frightened populace. While I would like to believe that Americans wouldn’t fall for the line that the government needs to give itself more power to protect us again, I know better than to be that optimistic. Let’s hope I am wrong.