The FBI has warned U.S. military members to clear their social media accounts to prevent Islamic State militants in Syria or Iraq from identifying who they are and carrying out potentially deadly attacks in the U.S.
"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," reads the joint bulletin from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security obtained by ABC News.
Several service members already informed the station they cleaned or deactivated their Facebook and other social media accounts in August when the U.S. started bombing militant targets in Iraq and later Syria.
However, new evidence suggests ISIS jihadists are encouraging local radicals to attack military personnel in the U.S.
"The FBI recently received reporting indicating individuals overseas are spotting and assessing like-minded individuals who are willing and capable of conducting attacks against current and former U.S.-based members of the United States military," reads the bulletin according to ABC News.
The FBI's warning comes after a gunman attacked Canada's Parliament in Ottawa and killed a soldier in October. Another soldier was killed in a separate attack earlier that month.
Authorities said they fear such attacks could encourage others to carryout similar ones in America.
But other officials indicated there was nothing new to suggest ISIS was attempting to mobilize local supporters.
"It's advice to be vigilant," Colonel Steve Warren told ABC News, adding that he does not know of any new information that led to the bulletin.
"There's an enemy out there (and) that enemy has made very clear that they seek to make harm to Americans so this advisory was to ensure that you're taking all appropriate cautions for individual force protection," Warren said.
