FBI Director: ISIS Is Top Threat to US

James Comey said ISIS' success is in recruiting fighters both overseas and in America, as well as the creation of a “terrorist diaspora.”

Thu, June 9, 2016


Photo: ISIS propaganda video

The Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) remains the top threat America is facing, FBI Director James Comey said this week.

Speaking to reporters from the FBI office in Minnesota, Comey said the threat stems from the terror group’s success in recruiting fighters both overseas and in America.

Comey mentioned a third threat as well which he called a “terrorist diaspora” – hardened and experienced fighters from in Syria and Iraq that infiltrate Western Europe, and from there, are able to travel to the U.S.

“There’s three prongs to this ISIL threat,” Comey said. “The recruitment to travel, the recruitment to violence in place, and then what you saw a preview of in Brussels and in Paris — hardened fighters coming out, looking to kill people.”

The FBI is “laser-focused on that,” Comey added.

Comey’s remarks were part of a two-day visit to Minnesota following the recent terror convictions of three young Minnesota men from the Somali community. Ten men in total were charged in the case that rocked the community – six pleaded guilty and a seventh, who has not been apprehended, is thought to have joined ISIS in Syria.

Comey plans to talk with community leaders and local law enforcement agencies in MInnesota.

The FBI director also noted that there still remain about 1,000 open cases across America of people recruited to the Islamic State. Although the number of open cases has remained constant, the actual number of recruits travelling to Syria has dropped in the last year, from close to six to 10 attempts per month to about one or two.

However, the director said the reason for the drop is unknown. Recruits may be travelling to other locations that don’t arouse the suspicion of officials or, since travel to Syria has become more difficult, recruits are choosing to stay in the U.S. to carry out attacks.

In the best cases scenario, terror recruits have been stopped by family or community members, Comey said.

FBI Director: ISIS Is Top Threat to US