FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning. The hearing was billed as "Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation." 

In late October, in the wake of the October 7 attack on Israel, Wray testified before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and acknowledged that we are "in a dangerous period" and this is "a time for vigilance."  

At Monday's hearing, Wray went a step further, describing the threat level as unprecedented.

"I've never seen a time where all the threats or so many of the threats are all elevated, all at exactly the same time," Wray told Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

"So, blinking red lights analogy about 9/11 — all the lights were blinking red before 9/11, apparently," Graham replied. "Obviously, all of us missed it. Would you say there's multiple blinking red lights out there?" he asked. 

"I see blinking red lights everywhere," Wray answered.

There were several key moments in Wray's testimony. 

Christopher Wray is the terrorist and he will be brought to GITMO just like where terrorists should be https://t.co/nuR7m9Vugb

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WRAY: So, what I would say that is unique about the environment that we're in right now, in my career, is that while there may have been times over the years where individual threats could have been higher here or there than where they might be right now, I've never seen a time where all the threats, or so many of the threats, are all elevated, all at exactly the same time. That's what makes this environment that we're in now so fraught, and why funding our men and women, who are working shoulder-to-shoulder with state and local law enforcement and other partners every day, makes it even more important, not less.

GRAHAM: So, blinking red lights analogy about 9/11 — all the lights were blinking red before 9/11 — apparently, obviously, all of us missed it. Would you say that there's multiple blinking red lights out there?

WRAY: I see blinking lights everywhere I turn.

Wray, of course, is seeking additional funding for the FBI as well as reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, so one could reasonably factor that into Wray's characterizations. Nevertheless, the porous border situation, combined with overt hostile activity from the likes of Iran, warrants concern, as Wray acknowledged. 

"Are you concerned that international terrorism threats to the homeland are rising as the border continues to be broken?"

FBI Director Chris Wray: "I am concerned" pic.twitter.com/ZfVSEI8Itn

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GRAHAM: Are you concerned that international terrorism threats to the homeland are rising as the border continues to be broken? 

WRAY: I am concerned that we are in an elevated threat environment, a heightened threat environment, from foreign terrorist organizations — for a whole host of reasons. And obviously, their ability to exploit any port of entry, including our Southwest border, is a source of concern. You know...there's a lot of discussion about numbers, and numbers are important, but let's not forget that it didn't take a big number of people on 9/11 to kill 3,000 people. So, while numbers are important, numbers don't tell the whole story. And we have seen an increase in...so-called "KSTs" — Known or Suspected Terrorists — attempting to cross, you know, over the last five years.

That does indeed sound rather concerning. Perhaps the Biden administration might want to consider securing the border? 

Sen. Graham: "What is Iran trying to do to America?"

FBI Director Wray: Let me list the ways... pic.twitter.com/JZ7zdVmosp

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GRAHAM: Who's driving all these problems? Let's start with Iran. What is Iran trying to do to America? 

WRAY: So, Iran, which is, of course, the world's biggest state sponsor of terrorism — let's start there — Iran, just in the last couple of years — if you want to bring it home, here to the homeland — in the last couple of years, Iran has tried to assassinate a former U.S. National Security Adviser on U.S. soil; has tried to kidnap and then tried to kill a journalist — American journalist and human rights activist — right smack in the middle of New York City; has conducted a cyber attack on a children's hospital in New England; and, for extra credit, as Director Ratcliffe and I announced in the Fall of 2020, tried to interfere in the last presidential election. So...that's just a start. So, if that's not enough to convince people —

GRAHAM (facetiously): Other than that, they've been pretty good, right? 

They sound like some bad dudes. Perhaps the Biden administration might want to reconsider freeing up or sending additional funding their way? 

Wray's testimony is ongoing as of this writing, so there may be more interesting nuggets to glean from Tuesday's appearance. Stay tuned...