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By Glynn Cosker
Managing Editor, In Homeland Security
The House Committee on Homeland Security released another of its Terror Threat Snapshot reports last week, and – as usual – it illustrates the growing and persistent threat from homegrown terrorists to the United States.
The Committee, chaired by U.S. Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas), produces the Terror Threat Snapshot on a monthly basis to help educate the public on the current arrests and investigations in the U.S. related to the Islamic State terror group. The snapshot also highlights – and offers feedback on – every ISIS-claimed attack in Europe and elsewhere, as well as the latest statistics on all worldwide terror groups.
Terror Threat From Homegrown Terrorists On The Rise
The report states that there were 215 homegrown jihadist arrests in the U.S. since the September 11 terror attacks. Of those 215 arrests, 137 were linked to ISIS. Since 2013, there were 145 homegrown jihadist investigations in 29 states including Florida, Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, New York, and California.
The Terror Campaign in Europe
Most alarming in the latest Terror Threat Snapshot is the shocking rate and numbers of ISIS-linked incidents in Europe. The report states that there were 105 incidents since 2013 in Europe – including the most recent horrific terror attacks in Spain which killed 15 people and wounded dozens. That attack, like many in recent years, involved terrorists plowing down pedestrians using a van, truck or other large vehicle. In fact, there were 16 cases where a vehicle was used along with 50 cases involving an edged weapon. Seventy of the European cases involved an attempt to build or use explosive devices to kill or maim civilians.
Significant Gains Against ISIS
Along with the statistics and other information on the tactics used by ISIS-linked terror campaigns, the new snapshot also shows the recent successes in countering the terror threat from ISIS and other groups by offering news on the major gains acquired in the war against terrorism. For example, the snapshot points out the US-led coalition strikes on 29 key ISIS targets in Syria and Iraq including oil tankers, oil stills, tactical bases, communications posts, vehicles, buildings and other strategic regions and items.
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Also of note in the snapshot, Iraqi forces gained major ground in their campaign to retake the city of Tal Afar – which was one of ISIS’ last remaining strongholds. Tal Afar contained around 2,000 Islamic militants. Additionally, the snapshot states that numerous notable ISIS and other terror group leaders were targeted and killed. Those eliminated include an external operations officer, an explosives specialist, and an external terror attack planner. In one of the biggest developments, Abdul Rahman, who was ISIS’ provincial emir in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, was killed on August 14 during a U.S. airstrike. The Terror Threat Snapshot also provides news on other terror groups including Al Shabaab and Boko Haram.
You can see the Terror Threat Snapshot in its entirety here.
All photos courtesy of the House Committee on Homeland Security.