A new study commissioned by Democrats and Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee finds the White House has failed to keep Americans from traveling overseas to join ISIS due to an overall lack of counter-terrorism vision and strategy.
"It is clear that our nation faces a grave and growing threat from foreign fighters," said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who chairs the committee, in a statement reported by Fox News. "Sadly, global efforts have failed to stop the flow of these aspiring jihadists into Syria and we have already seen 'returnees' from the conflict zone come home to America and Europe and plot acts of terror. Even more, those still on the battlefield are radicalizing their peers online and inciting them to launch homegrown attacks."
The report found more than 250 Americans have gone overseas since 2011 and either joined, or tried to join, various terror groups, including ISIS. Only a handful have been stopped, the study said. Moreover, ISIS has managed to recruit more than 25,000 of other fighters from overseas spots for training in Iraq and Syria.
"As horrible as attacks like the Chattanooga shooting were, we've been incredibly lucky," said Ryan Mauro, national security analyst for the Clarion Project Professor, to Fox News.
The report also cited other worrisome findings.
One: "Despite concerted efforts to stem the flow, we have largely failed to stop Americans from traveling overseas to joing jihadists."
Another: "The U.S. government lacks a national strategy for combating terrorist travel and has not produced one in nearly a decade."
And another: "Gaping security weaknesses overseas, especially in Europe, are putting the U.S. homeland in danger by making it easier for aspiring foreign fighters to migrate to terrorist hot spots and for jihadists to return to the West."
The report comes as the government watchdog, Judicial Watch, finds the Obama administration has allowed 1,519 refugees with suspected ties to terror to enter the United States in the last year, as reported by WND. The refugees were admitted largely because of a softening of rules and restrictions, and would have been kept from entering the country in previous administrations.
"It is clear that our nation faces a grave and growing threat from foreign fighters," said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who chairs the committee, in a statement reported by Fox News. "Sadly, global efforts have failed to stop the flow of these aspiring jihadists into Syria and we have already seen 'returnees' from the conflict zone come home to America and Europe and plot acts of terror. Even more, those still on the battlefield are radicalizing their peers online and inciting them to launch homegrown attacks."
The report found more than 250 Americans have gone overseas since 2011 and either joined, or tried to join, various terror groups, including ISIS. Only a handful have been stopped, the study said. Moreover, ISIS has managed to recruit more than 25,000 of other fighters from overseas spots for training in Iraq and Syria.
"As horrible as attacks like the Chattanooga shooting were, we've been incredibly lucky," said Ryan Mauro, national security analyst for the Clarion Project Professor, to Fox News.
The report also cited other worrisome findings.
One: "Despite concerted efforts to stem the flow, we have largely failed to stop Americans from traveling overseas to joing jihadists."
Another: "The U.S. government lacks a national strategy for combating terrorist travel and has not produced one in nearly a decade."
And another: "Gaping security weaknesses overseas, especially in Europe, are putting the U.S. homeland in danger by making it easier for aspiring foreign fighters to migrate to terrorist hot spots and for jihadists to return to the West."
The report comes as the government watchdog, Judicial Watch, finds the Obama administration has allowed 1,519 refugees with suspected ties to terror to enter the United States in the last year, as reported by WND. The refugees were admitted largely because of a softening of rules and restrictions, and would have been kept from entering the country in previous administrations.
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