Attacks by “homegrown” terrorists are among the most imminent security threats facing the United States in 2016, along with dangers posed overseas by Islamic State and cyber security concerns, the top U.S. intelligence official said on Tuesday.
In his annual assessment of threats to the United States, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper warned that fast-moving cyber and technological advances “could lead to widespread vulnerabilities in civilian infrastructures and U.S. government systems.”
Terrorism remains a top concern in President Barack Obama’s last year in office, Clapper said in prepared testimony before the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees.
Clapper outlined an array of other threats from Russia and North Korean nuclear ambitions to instability caused by the Syrian migrant crisis.
“In my 50 plus years in the intelligence business I cannot recall a more diverse array of crises and challenges than we face today,” Clapper said during the hearing.
Islamic State poses the most danger among militant groups because of the territory it controls in Iraq and Syria, Clapper said. It also has demonstrated “unprecedented online proficiencies,” he said.
While the United States “will almost certainly remain at least a rhetorically important enemy” for many foreign militant groups, “homegrown violent extremists … will probably continue to pose the most significant Sunni terrorist threat to the U.S. homeland in 2016,” he said, referring to Sunni Muslim jihadists.
“The perceived success” of attacks by such extremists in Europe and San Bernardino, California, “might motivate others to replicate opportunistic attacks with little or no warning, diminishing our ability to detect terrorist operational planning and readiness,” Clapper said.
A married couple inspired by Islamist militants shot and killed 14 people in San Bernardino in December.
General Vincent Stewart, director of Defense Intelligence Agency, told Senate Armed Services Committee that Islamic State aims to conduct more attacks in Europe during 2016 and has ambitions to attack inside the United States.
The group is taking advantage of the refugee flow from Syria’s civil war to hide militants among them and is adept at obtaining false documentation, Clapper said.
Al Qaeda affiliates, most notably the one in Yemen known as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, have proven resilient and are positioned to make gains this year despite pressure from Western counterterrorism operations, Clapper said.
He cited threats from Russia’s increasingly assertive international policies, saying “We could be into another Cold War-like spiral.”
U.S. intelligence assesses that North Korea is committed to developing a long-range nuclear armed missile that can reach the United States and has carried out some steps toward fielding a mobile intercontinental ballistic missile system, Clapper said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-security-idUSKCN0VI1AQ
sounds like they are saying that they fear … revolution
thats why all these fear monger stories ..their intent is to scare you from making any move , especially any move against them and their bull SHeet policies
“A married couple inspired by Islamist militants shot and killed 14 people in San Bernardino in December.”
dont believe that for a second .. those 3 white mercenaries that were seen at the crime were the culprits
“dont believe that for a second .. those 3 white mercenaries that were seen at the crime were the culprits”
At this point EotS, I don’t even believe anyone was killed.
They pulled the same closed casket b.s. as they did at Sandy Hoax.
James Clapper, he won’t be happy until we’re all micro-chipped. These chips are fairly sophisticated today, real time GPS tracking, but what about other capabilities such as monitoring our “precious bodily fluids”? LOL although it’s really not a laughing matter. I’m guessing the technology is there. Could they tell what you consume, what time you go to sleep or awaken? Heart rate, blood pressure, your last bathroom break or “nooner”? How about read your mind, or, at least brainwave activity? I don’t put anything past these psychopaths.
The intelligence chief must be a Shiite, which of course puts him among the allies of Iran and Syria. This is a smart move by a government employee, because Obama is a Shiite supporter. Don’t want to cross the boss. He’d kick your sniveling, boot licking, ass out of government. Clapper can snort my skivvies.
“Terrorism remains a top concern in President Barack Obama’s last year in office, Clapper said….”
Why? What does Obama have planned for us in his last year in office?
Yeah more like
Top Priority
“Terrorism remains a top concern in President Barack Obama’s last year in office, Clapper said…”
Of that I have no doubt whatsoever…
… bearing in mind that the POS jewb#tch will be the # 1 perpetrator of said terrorism.
Terrorists are a negligible threat, especially in comparison with traitors like James Clapper and countless other government officials. The fact that Clapper remains a free man in spite of the way he feloniously perjured himself on national television — never mind his participation in the rape of the Fourth Amendment — is absolute proof of the corruption and illegitimacy of the US government.
US Intelligence CHEF.
Cooking up some good bllsht.
im right here US intelligence chief.
sit on it!
US intelligence chief: we might use the internet of things to spy on you
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/09/internet-of-things-smart-home-devices-government-surveillance-james-clapper
The only home-grown security threat is the rothschild ‘jew’ owned and operated junta running america into the ground, turning the country into an open-air prison, and stealing the wealth of the nation.
So, tell me again Crapper, just who is the threat?
-flek
Clapper…. you gotta be fkng kidding me man…
I say you clap the fk off.
What’s the next last name?
Richard Gonerhea..?
BUSH
RICE
COLON
COMMIE
and now….. drum roll please…..
CLAPPER…!
Not to be confused with Crapper.
At least the Crapper serves a purpose.