Terror attack groups are moving away from planning attacks that involve months of planning and a lot of people (similar to 9/11). It's more difficult to detect and disrupt plots against the United States, according to three of the nations top counterterrorism officials. Michael Leiter, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said that the past year has brought the largest number and quickest pace of attempted attacks since 9/11. Michael Leiter, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and FBI Director Robert Mueller told the Senate Homeland Security Committee that groups and individuals are switching to smaller scale attacks that are easier to plan and carry out, involving fewer people, and put together more quickly. Mueller said that terror groups understand that launching a larger and more devastating attack is not worth the additional effort when you can get the same coverage and impact with smaller attacks. The past 12 months saw Najibullah Zazi's plot to bomb New York City subway stations, Faisal Shazad's plan to set off a car bomb in Times Square, and the attempt to blow up a U.S. jetliner for Detroit on Christmas day. The Internet and 3 officials agreed it is making it much easier for Islamic extremists to find U.S. citizen who can be persuaded to do training and carry out attacks here. But they also agreed that the Muslim community in the U.S. is becoming more willing to report potential trouble and to persuade members of their families not to go to countries overseas where they could become terrorism recruits. Leiter says that he hopes that greater awareness with these communities of the risks to their families traveling overseas will overtime reduce the likelihood of radicalization. FBI director Mueller says that the worst thing that could happen to the Muslim community is another attack.
In what city does Najibullah Zazi plot to bomb subway stations take place?
No comments:
Post a Comment