House Homeland Security Committee releases October assessment of terror threats

House Homeland Security Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-TX) recently released October’s Terror Threat Snapshot, a monthly assessment of terror threats and efforts to combat them.

The report noted there have been at least 483 plots, attacks, and arrests linked to Islamist extremism targeting the West since 2013.

It also highlighted military actions against ISIS, including the continued push of coalition forces into terrorist-controlled regions of Syria and Iraq. British forces, it said, launched their 1,500th airstrike and U.S. forces launched their first strike on ISIS militants in Libya since President Trump took office, which killed 17 militants.

It also noted that as ISIS loses territory, militants have traveled to the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe, primarily through the Turkey-Syrian border, which presents challenges to security services in the region and abroad. In response, these forces have increased intelligence operations and cooperation.

It also discussed recent activity from ISIS, including increased calls by ISIS leaders to launch attacks abroad that encourage attackers to act alone. It also covers an audio recording of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi released by ISIS on Sept. 28. The recording references recent tensions between the U.S., Japan and North Korea and seems to indicate that al-Baghdadi may still be alive, which would contradict claims by Russia that he was killed in an airstrike in June.

McCaul also called for an increased focus on cybersecurity in a recent committee press release.

“Last month, we made significant progress with our allies in taking back, even more, ISIS-held territory and putting pressure on their supporters abroad,” McCaul said. “While our efforts to defeat ISIS on the battlefield have been effective, we must not forget about the other war we’re fighting with ISIS; the one in cyberspace. The group continues to focus substantial resources on spreading propaganda and recruiting operatives around the world using social media platforms and encrypted messaging apps. We must ramp up our cyberwarfare efforts in order to better disrupt ISIS’ ability to communicate and interact with their sympathizers.”