UTEP professor: ISIS terrorist attack on US/Mexico border possible but ‘low’ probability

Updated: Monday, September 8 2014, 08:49 PM MDT



By: Joshua Zuber

EL PASO, Texas -- The Islamic terrorist group ISIS has become infamous in the past few months by grabbing headlines which make it clear it doesn't like people who are from the Western Hemisphere.

The fear of an attack in America has grown and one watchdog group, Judicial Watch, says the attack could happen even as close to home as El Paso's section of the U.S./Mexico border.

But one University of Texas at El Paso professor says that likelihood of ISIS actually carrying out an attack in America isn't strong.

“It's a low-probability event," Gaspare Genna said.

The political science professor says the group is too busy trying to create a staging area in the Middle East, which could then pose more of a threat to America.

"It has yet to be demonstrated that ISIS has the same capabilities under the post 9-11 reality that we live in," Genna said.

He also says even if ISIS is in Juarez, their members aren't likely coming over in droves.

"The coyotes, etc. right? The drug cartels, drug smuggling, etc. It's not in their business model if ISIS is involved because it's bad for their business," Genna said. "I really don't think ISIS has enough money to buy out these individuals. At least not if ISIS told them who they were, etc.," he added.

As for whether ISIS could be as effective at terrorism like Al Qaeda and the Sept. 11 attacks, Genna says they've got more security to get through.

"Remember, Al Qaeda got away with what it did during 9-11 because the security apparatus did not exist," he said.

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