Statement for Record Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. Nine Years after 9/11: Confronting the Terrorist Threat to the Homeland

摘要

Chairman Lieberman, Ranking Member Collins, distinguished Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity today to discuss the current state of the terrorist threat to the Homeland and the U.S. Government's efforts to address the threat. I am pleased to join Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Robert Mueller--two of the National Counterterrorism Center's (NCTC) closest and most critical partners. Nature of the Terrorist Threat During the past year our nation has dealt with the most significant developments in the terrorist threat to the Homeland since 9/11. The three attempted Homeland attacks during the past year from overseas-based groups--including Pakistan-based al-Qa'ida's plan to attack the New York City subway one year ago, its regional affiliate al- Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula's (or AQAP's) attempt to blow up an airliner over Detroit last Christmas, and al-Qa'ida's closest ally Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan's (or TTP's) attempt to bomb Times Square in May--in addition to two lone actor attacks conducted by homegrown extremists Carlos Bledsoe and Nidal Hassan, surpassed the number and pace of attempted attacks during any year since 9/11. The range of al-Qa'ida core, affiliated, allied, and inspired US citizens and residents plotting against the Homeland during the past year suggests the threat against the West has become more complex and underscores the challenges of identifying and countering a more diverse array of Homeland plotting.