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Isis poses 'sustained' threat to US for years to come despite loss of territory Isis poses 'sustained' threat to US for years to come despite loss of territory
(35 minutes later)
The United States will face years of “sustained vulnerability” from Islamic State fighters even after the fall of its so-called caliphate in Iraq and Syria, intelligence chiefs have warned.The United States will face years of “sustained vulnerability” from Islamic State fighters even after the fall of its so-called caliphate in Iraq and Syria, intelligence chiefs have warned.
Giving evidence in the wake of the recent bombings in New York and New Jersey bombings, they told a Senate panel on Tuesday that pushing Isis out of the territory it has claimed will lead to a diaspora of operatives in the US and Europe rather than the destruction of the jihadi army.Giving evidence in the wake of the recent bombings in New York and New Jersey bombings, they told a Senate panel on Tuesday that pushing Isis out of the territory it has claimed will lead to a diaspora of operatives in the US and Europe rather than the destruction of the jihadi army.
Nicholas Rasmussen, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, expanded upon an emerging consensus within US intelligence circles, saying: “The effects we’re looking to see are simply going be delayed or lag behind the physical progress on the battlefield,” Rasmussen told the Senate homeland security and government affairs committee.Nicholas Rasmussen, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, expanded upon an emerging consensus within US intelligence circles, saying: “The effects we’re looking to see are simply going be delayed or lag behind the physical progress on the battlefield,” Rasmussen told the Senate homeland security and government affairs committee.
“It’s not surprising. It puts us in a period of sustained vulnerability that I don’t think any of us are comfortable with, but it’s a reality.” He doubted that such a period would end within a year of the caliphate’s downfall.“It’s not surprising. It puts us in a period of sustained vulnerability that I don’t think any of us are comfortable with, but it’s a reality.” He doubted that such a period would end within a year of the caliphate’s downfall.
Not only has the US-led war against Isis in Iraq and Syria not “significantly diminished” the group’s external terrorism operations, Rasmussen testified, “we don’t think battlefield or territorial losses alone will be sufficient to completely degrade the group’s terrorism capabilities - necessary, but not sufficient.” Not only has the US-led war against Isis in Iraq and Syria not “significantly diminished” the group’s external terrorism operations, Rasmussen testified, “we don’t think battlefield or territorial losses alone will be sufficient to completely degrade the group’s terrorism capabilities – necessary, but not sufficient.”
James Comey, the director of the FBI, told senators he believed “at least hundreds” of Isis operatives would exfiltrate from Iraq and Syria for years, with a potency exceeding the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s 1980s counterinsurgency in Afghanistan that led to al-Qaida.James Comey, the director of the FBI, told senators he believed “at least hundreds” of Isis operatives would exfiltrate from Iraq and Syria for years, with a potency exceeding the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s 1980s counterinsurgency in Afghanistan that led to al-Qaida.
“There will be a terrorist diaspora some time in the next two to five years like we’ve never seen before,” Comey said, particularly “up into Europe.” “There will be a terrorist diaspora some time in the next two to five years like we’ve never seen before,” Comey said, particularly “up into Europe”.
His remarks come as the Federal Bureau of Investigation is coming under sustained political pressure to expand its investigative focus on potential homegrown terrorists after it closed several preliminary inquiries, due to lack of pretext, on people who went on to commit attacks. His remarks come as the FBI is coming under sustained political pressure to expand its investigative focus on potential homegrown terrorists after it closed several preliminary inquiries, due to lack of pretext, on people who went on to commit attacks.
While losing its oil-rich territory in Iraq and its smuggling channels in Syria will diminish the group’s finances, Rasmussen noted that Isis’ major expenses lie in governing the approximately 6 million people residing in its caliphate, not funding operatives – let alone inspiring more, or loosely aiding those it inspires. While losing its oil-rich territory in Iraq and its smuggling channels in Syria will diminish the group’s finances, Rasmussen noted that Isis’s major expenses lie in governing the approximately 6 million people residing in its caliphate, not funding operatives – let alone inspiring more, or loosely aiding those it inspires.
Jeh Johnson, the secretary of homeland security, told senators that his department was moving to a way of understanding different categories of domestic terrorism beyond those at one end of the spectrum which were clearly directed by a terrorist group like Isis, and another subset involving independent “lone wolf” instances of self-radicalization.Jeh Johnson, the secretary of homeland security, told senators that his department was moving to a way of understanding different categories of domestic terrorism beyond those at one end of the spectrum which were clearly directed by a terrorist group like Isis, and another subset involving independent “lone wolf” instances of self-radicalization.
Emerging recent patterns in terrorism have prompted an understanding of “terrorist-enabled attacks”, where perpetrators may draw on methods widely shared by jihadi groups. He also identified “terrorist-validated attacks”, where “a terrorist organization takes credit after the fact” for an assault which it approves of, but had no part in.Emerging recent patterns in terrorism have prompted an understanding of “terrorist-enabled attacks”, where perpetrators may draw on methods widely shared by jihadi groups. He also identified “terrorist-validated attacks”, where “a terrorist organization takes credit after the fact” for an assault which it approves of, but had no part in.
Comey extensively praised FBI agents and their partners in New York and New Jersey law enforcement for the rapidity with which a suspect in the 17-18 September bombings was identified, arrested and charged, saying the close coordination was “unimaginable” 15 years ago. But two prominent legislators, including the Senate’s leading privacy advocate, grilled Comey about revelations that the FBI had closed preliminary investigations on Orlando nightclub killer Omar Mateen and New York/New Jersey defendant Ahmed Khan Rahami.Comey extensively praised FBI agents and their partners in New York and New Jersey law enforcement for the rapidity with which a suspect in the 17-18 September bombings was identified, arrested and charged, saying the close coordination was “unimaginable” 15 years ago. But two prominent legislators, including the Senate’s leading privacy advocate, grilled Comey about revelations that the FBI had closed preliminary investigations on Orlando nightclub killer Omar Mateen and New York/New Jersey defendant Ahmed Khan Rahami.
Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican who lost a bid for the GOP presidential nomination to Donald Trump and a self-declared “stickler for probable cause”, chided the FBI for closing the preliminary inquiries while seeking new powers to obtain communications data on a lower evidentiary standard.Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican who lost a bid for the GOP presidential nomination to Donald Trump and a self-declared “stickler for probable cause”, chided the FBI for closing the preliminary inquiries while seeking new powers to obtain communications data on a lower evidentiary standard.
Comey, who pledged to forthrightly study and admit FBI mistakes, twice said Paul misunderstood the facts of the cases. The FBI has defended the closures for lacking a sufficient evidentiary basis at the time to sustain.Comey, who pledged to forthrightly study and admit FBI mistakes, twice said Paul misunderstood the facts of the cases. The FBI has defended the closures for lacking a sufficient evidentiary basis at the time to sustain.
But Kelly Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican, prompted Comey to concede that the FBI did not conduct a review of the Orlando killer’s social-media postings, which were public and would not have required a warrant to peruse, particularly since Comey has for years expressed alarm about extremism on social media. But Kelly Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican, prompted Comey to concede that the FBI did not conduct a review of the Orlando killer’s social media postings, which were public and would not have required a warrant to peruse, particularly since Comey has for years expressed alarm about extremism on social media.
To combat the anticipated jihadi diaspora, the National Counterterrorism Center’s Rasmussen urged the US to overhaul its highly controversial watch-listing system for border and travel protection over the next decade. Though the US is “probably the most aggressive identity collectors of potential terrorists,” Rasmussen told the Senate panel, the system is vulnerable to false identities. To combat the anticipated jihadi diaspora, the National Counterterrorism Center’s Rasmussen urged the US to overhaul its highly controversial watch-listing system for border and travel protection over the next decade. Though the US is “probably the most aggressive identity collectors of potential terrorists”, Rasmussen told the Senate panel, the system is vulnerable to false identities.
“It is still a name based system and it needs to transform into a biometric system,” Rasmussen said.“It is still a name based system and it needs to transform into a biometric system,” Rasmussen said.