With the release of the House Homeland Security Committee’s September Terror Threat Snapshot, the Committee further illustrates the growing and persistent threat from homegrown terrorists to the United States.
“The attack last month in Barcelona further highlights the increasingly dangerous threat that Islamist terror presents to the West,” said Chairman Michael McCaul.
“While ISIS continues to suffer heavy territorial losses in Syria and Iraq, the group has intensified calls for jihadists to carry out attacks against the West.”
“With the so-called ‘caliphate’ deteriorating, we must ensure that America and our allies are prepared to aggressively confront this evolving threat.
“Now more than ever, we must be vigilant so we can best protect our homeland from those attempting to sneak in or those already radicalized at home.”
Snapshot Key Points:
- Western foreign fighters who have travelled to join ISIS continue to be of concern, as they begin returning home.
- Some countries have responded by stripping those involved of citizenship and others by freezing known militant’s assets.
- As ISIS continues to lose territory, they have begun calling for more attacks in the West, the effect of which was seen in the coordinated attacks in Spain.
- Cases of Islamist extremism continue to challenge security services in Europe.
- Since 2013 there have been 105 ISIS attacks, arrests, and plots in 16 countries.
- The most highly impacted countries are France, with 27 ISIS incidents, Germany, with 20, and the U.K. with 14.
- European foreign terrorist fighters returning from Syria and Iraq remain a high priority for security services in the region.
- Coordinated counterterrorism efforts around the world have resulted in senior members from ISIS, the Taliban, Boko Haram, and al Shabaab being eliminated.
- Coalition forces continue to make progress in reclaiming Tal Afar, Iraq, one of the last ISIS strongholds.
- The city sits on a major supply route between Mosul and the Syrian border.
- On August 31, the Prime Minister of Iraq declared the city liberated.
The ‘Terror Threat Snapshot’ is a monthly assessment of the Committee’s continuing effort to highlight the growing threat America, the West, and the world face from ISIS and other Islamist terrorists.
The complete September Terror Threat Snapshot is available, here.
View the Committee’s interactive Terror Threat Snapshot, here.
