Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan said Wednesday that the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group is likely trying to hit US targets in the Middle East and on US soil, and that the attack on Istanbul’s Airport on Tuesday has the earmark of ISIS.
“If anybody here believes the US homeland is hermetically sealed and that ISIL would not consider that, I would guard against it,” Brennan said at an event at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, using another acronym for the group.
“I’d be surprised if Daesh is not trying to carry out that kind of attack in the United States,” the spy chief said, using the Arabic acronym for ISIS.
Earlier this month, Brennan told Congress that the US battle against ISIS has not yet curbed the group’s global reach and that they are expected to plot more attacks on the West and incite violence. He said ISIS has a large cadre of Western fighters who could potentially act as operatives for attacks in the West.
“Unfortunately, despite all our progress against ISIL on the battlefield and in the financial realm, our efforts have not reduced the group’s terrorism capability and global reach,” he said.
“In fact, as the pressure mounts on ISIL, we judge that it will intensify its global terror campaign to maintain its dominance of the global terrorism agenda,” Brennan added.
On Tuesday’s attack at Istanbul’s busy Ataturk Airport that killed 41 people and wounded hundreds, Brennan said it “bears the hallmarks of ISIL’s depravity.”
On other issues, Brennan said Britain’s vote to leave the European Union (EU) means Europe is entering a period of uncertainty, but that intelligence sharing with Britain would not be affected.
By: AP and United with Israel Staff
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