On July 17, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn., Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez of Hixson, Tenn., attacked two military facilities, killing four Marines. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

New immigrant fear: 22 linked to terrorism, from Yemen, Syria in last year

By PAUL BEDARD
 8/12/15 2:09 PM




Two key Republican senators who have taken a hardline on immigration have identified at least 22 immigrants from several war-torn and Muslim nations linked to terrorism inside the United States in just the last year, and the figure could be as high as 72.

In a letter to the the Departments of Justice, State and Homeland Security, Sens. Ted Cruz and Jeff Sessions used publicly available information to identify the terror suspects from overseas, mostly naturalized citizens.

In a chart, they said the suspects come from Bosnia, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Iraq and even Cuba.

A police officer ducks under tape near a memorial in front of an Armed Forces Career Center. John Bazemore, AP Photo

"Based on publicly available information, we have identified at least 72 individuals in the United States who, over the last year: have engaged in or attempted to engage in acts of terrorism; conspired or attempted to conspire to provide material support to a terrorist organization; engaged in criminal conduct inspired by terrorist ideology; or who have been sentenced for any of the foregoing. We would like to understand more about these individuals, and others similarly situated in recent history, and the nexus between terrorism and our immigration system," they wrote.

Of the 72, 22 were shown to be naturalized citizens. The others were of "unknown" immigrant status or American-born with apparent Arab ties.

Recent legislative proposals have pushed to expand the naturalization process. Officials added that immigrants from Muslim nations are arriving in huge numbers.

Their letter sought information on all the 72, including their
immigration status.

It was prompted by a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in which FBI Director James Comey warned that trying to grab homegrown terrorists is hard and also the shootings at U.S. military facilities in Tennessee.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ne...rticle/2570064