In one of its strongest ever warning, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked American soldiers and their families to be alert on social media, as they can be a possible target of 'violent' ISIS recruits.
The alert also asked the service to ensure that "'they and their families" take all measures to scrub off any information that could possibly reveal their identities or their personal details.
"The FBI and DHS recommend that current and former members of the military review their online social media accounts for any information that might serve to attract the attention of ISIL [ISIS] and its supporters," the ABC News report stated citing the joint statement.
Earlier on Sunday, the FBI issued a joint intelligence bulletin issued along with the Department of Homeland Security, urging those in uniform to clean their social media accounts of anything that cloud bring unwanted attention from "violent extremists."
The FBI and DHS alert also advised the troops to "routinely exercise operational security in their interactions online."
The alert notice also emphasised that 'they fear' copycat attacks similar to what took place in Canada last month, where two uniformed Canadian soldiers were killed in separate incidents by young men who claimed they were ISIS followers.
Since the U.S. began bombing ISIS in Iraq and Syria last August, many top officials in the military branches have already deactivated, or locked their social media accounts, at the urging of security officers.
However, the report noted that the recent alert has been given the highest priority as the intelligence agencies has evidence that ISIS wants to recruit or inspire sympathisers from among the military members and their families, as it could definitely dent the morale of the soldiers.
Back in October, U.S. authorities had issued two similar warnings, as reported by Fox News.
The Army first issued an alert warning after Islamic State militants asked supporters to scour social media for addresses of U.S. military personnel and to "show up [at their homes] and slaughter them."
Similar the Pentagon also had asked employees to take precautions as changing travel routes, removing identifiable logos and not posting anything online that would link them to the Defense Department.
