October 30, 2026 Security Bulletin:
Under Threat and Under Watch: Mosques Head Into Midterm Season
Overall Assessment
We assess that the threat of physical attacks against Muslims is ELEVATED. This assessment is based off of a recent lockdown at the Islamic Center of San Diego and surveillance of a mosque in Michigan. As Election Day approaches, MPAC is concerned about the safety and security of mosques and Muslim voters.
Note: These incidents only represent threats/attacks that have been reported in the United States. The majority of hate crimes against Muslims are never reported, therefore the true number of hate crimes is likely much higher. We encourage everyone to report every incident, regardless of its size or severity.
Violent Online Comment to Islamic Center of San Diego Lockdown Reported
On October 27, 2026, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) posted on X that the Islamic Center of San Diego was under lockdown. The family of a 37-year old woman had informed the police that she was experiencing a mental health crisis, was potentially armed with a gun, and headed to the Islamic Center. Before police arrived, she told security guards at the center that she was frightened and required assistance. Police detained her for a mental health evaluation. MPAC monitored the responses to the SDPD X post and identied several anti-Muslim posts. One comment in particular contained an explicit threat: “Burn it down.” MPAC reported the threatening comment to X and it was promptly removed.
MPAC strongly encourages mosques to review their existing lockdown procedures and develop a plan if one is not in place. As an example of a relevant resource, the Department of Emergency Management and Security of Fairfax County, Virginia recommends the following response during an emergency:
Surveillance of Altaqwa Islamic Center in Inkster, Michigan
On October 13, 2026, Tyler Sheridan posted a video of him driving past Altaqwa Islamic Center in Inkster, Michigan, with the caption “Little Preview.” Sheridan is associated with the Facebook group ‘JAKE LANG & THE CRUSADERS’ and has been seen at several rallies with Jake Lang. The comment section included a post by an individual saying, “it time for patriots to start roasting marshmallows,” a remark that could potentially suggest arson. MPAC notified the mosque and local law enforcement so they could take the necessary precautions and watch for any additional suspicious activity.
We strongly encourage mosques to report suspicious behavior to law enforcement before it can escalate into a more serious threat. The Virginia Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative has identified the following indicators of terrorism-related suspicious activity:
Security Checklist for Mosques
With the November midterm elections approaching, mosques should remain vigilant about election-related intimidation and other security threats.
Recommendations:
Strengthen relationships with local law enforcement. Establishing and maintaining relationships with local police departments can help with reporting and coordination if suspicious activity or potential threats arise.
Develop or review security protocols. Assess your mosque’s current security measures, establish and/or review procedures for responding to various threats (arson, bomb threat, lockdown, active shooter), ensure that staff and volunteers know how to report concerns, and conduct drills.
Report suspicious activity. If you observe suspicious behavior or identify a potential threat, report it to your local law enforcement and to MPAC CSTP. Reporting these incidents helps us monitor emerging threats and identify potential patterns.
While these precautions are especially important in the days leading up to the election, building a strong security infrastructure is an ongoing effort.
MPAC-CSTP Incident Tracker
MPAC-CSTP will continue to closely monitor developments and provide updates as needed. We encourage you to report any incident through the link below.
Why should you share incidents? For example, if an individual leaves a message to attack a mosque, we can use artificial intelligence tools to compare voice patterns with other security incident reports to identify whether the same individual is involved and possibly assist with identification efforts.