LONDON, Jan. 16, 2008

Chertoff Fears Homegrown Terrorism Abroad

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Worries Europe Can Be A Staging Ground For Future Attacks

  • U.S. Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff told the BBC Wednesday Jan. 16, 2008 that Washington fears Europe may be a staging ground for terrorist attacks based on how easy it is for Europeans travel to the United States.

    U.S. Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff told the BBC Wednesday Jan. 16, 2008 that Washington fears Europe may be a staging ground for terrorist attacks based on how easy it is for Europeans travel to the United States.  (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

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(CBS/AP)  The U.S. Homeland Security secretary said Wednesday that Washington fears Europe may be a staging ground for terrorist attacks on the United States.

Michael Chertoff said in an interview with British Broadcasting Corp. radio that his fears were based on how easy it is for Europeans travel to the United Sates. He said there was also evidence of homegrown terrorism in European countries.

"One of the things we've become concerned about lately is the possibility of Europe becoming a platform for a threat against the United States," Chertoff said.

Washington has no plans to start asking Europeans to apply for visas to travel to the United States but they could be required to register online before traveling, Chertoff said.

"We have the visa waiver program, which allows most Europeans who come to be tourists to come without visas - that means the first time we encounter them is when they arrive in the United States, and that creates a very small window of opportunity to check them out," he said.

The U.S. concerns are based on cases of homegrown terrorism in Europe - such as the March 2004 bombings in Madrid that killed 191 people, the deadly 2005 transport bombings in London and a failed attempt to blow up two commuter trains in Germany in 2006.

"We have watched the rise of homegrown terrorism," Chertoff said. "We are obviously mindful of the Madrid bombings, the attempted bombings in Germany, and that suggests to us that the terrorists are increasingly looking to Europe as both a target and a platform for terrorist attacks."

He said there was a "certain sense of complacency" about terrorism in the United States, suggesting the Bush administration had been a victim of its own success in thwarting any attacks since the Sept. 11 attacks.

"But when I lift my eyes and I look around the world, and I look at what happens in Britain, in Germany, in Spain, in Bali, in Pakistan, I don't see terrorism going away; I see an al Qaeda that's evolving," he said.

Still, as the fifth anniversary of the creation of his Homeland Security department approaches, Chertoff told the BBC, "Our ability to know who is coming across our borders, and to check them and to take their fingerprints now, is far better than it was five or six years ago. We have deployed almost twice as many border patrols as we had five or six years ago. We've put up literally hundreds of miles of fencing and barriers. All of these are very concrete steps forward that have made our security much better than it was."

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Add a Comment See all 139 Comments
by slpdisk January 18, 2008 3:07 PM EST
"''''''Dan the SnakeMan " talk about uninformed.What rock have you been hiding under?// Bush and Cheney launch an illegal war with Iraq,no WMDs, no ties to al qaeda according to 9/11 commission , FBI and CIA.They even defied congress and the U.N.Obstructing justice closing investigation on 9/11 even though no one is held accountable, and this is where you come in saying Osama Bin Bigfoot the ghost.Look at FBI website Osama is not even wanted for 9/11.According to fbi there isn''t enough evidence to hold him accountable.So why the closed investigation you say? Good question.First responders from ground zero dying from disease from inhaling toxic dust where is the chief now that they need help. Got billions for war but not for heroes. Sanctions on Iraq killed over i million innocent iraqi''s mostly children before we ever invaded. This is where some ignoramus says "their the enemy," educate yourself before opening your mouth sounding silly. Not to mention Gitmo and torture. Destroying cia tapes. oh, I running out of breath. Peace brother!
Reply to this comment
by slpdisk January 18, 2008 2:52 PM EST
Why is there an Israeli nationalist in charge of forcing a National I.D. card in the U.S. Looks like a conflict of interest.
Reply to this comment
by l8c6 January 18, 2008 1:47 PM EST
The neo cons have ruled by scaring the bejeezus out of the american people. Some people claim to feel safer having their peanut butter sandwiches and toothpaste confiscated. Returning from an international flight the contrast in treatment of this tax paying, law abiding, working american with no criminal record to obvious foreigners visiting was quite striking. The foreigners passed quickly, while this citizen was inspected. The regime must keep the citizens very aware of who the decider is. The regime doesn''t care if an individual is a law abiding citizen or not when the law as it''s been is not respected but rather manipulated to meet the regimes special interests. The bottom line is, you are with them or against. The rules can be changed to turn law abiding citizens into criminals over night. The Jews in Germany during the nazi area can vouch for that.
Reply to this comment
by l8c6 January 18, 2008 1:35 PM EST
All we have to fear is fear itself.
Reply to this comment
by cfin5 January 18, 2008 12:52 AM EST
Just heard Mr. Chertoff on Hannity Show give an explanation on why the border fence is not completed. Very good interview and explanation I might say. But as for our two border agents (or is there more?) in the slammer for doing their job,.......it''s a disgrace, and tenfold for letting this go on this long!
Reply to this comment
by DDouville January 18, 2008 12:24 AM EST
Watcher269 who are you to accuse Bush and Cheney of crimes? You just go along with what you hear from other uninformed persons like yourself. And I am so sure you would make a better president, why don''t you run in the next election? So some mistakes were made, so what? Have a bit more respect for your commander in chief. He is not a criminal. He has an extremely difficult job. Do something for your country, instead of being critical of it. What have you done for the USA besides gossip about what a terrible job our commanders are doing? What do you propose to solve all our problems? I''m willing to hear you out... Ball is in your court. Peace Out from Dan the Snake Man
Reply to this comment
by prinzowhales January 17, 2008 9:04 PM EST
The only people ''losing'' in this spurious war on terror are the people of the world. It is costing Americans thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars.

We have 250,000 servicemen on disability from the first Gulf War....we have well over tens of thousands wounded from this war with no end in site.

Look at the flag-draped coffins coming home to Dover Delaware...the crosses spouting in cemetaries across the nation...the mistreated veterans...the price of oil...the enmity of the world...the police state and the solemn pronouncements by vacant eyed bureaucrats that is fine and dandy to rape children in front of their parents to get information.

Only the chuckle-headed say that "we" are winning... but they don''t tell us ''what'' we are winning...
Reply to this comment
by terrorislam6 January 17, 2008 8:35 PM EST
dont you just hate these stupid silly little fascist nazi terrorislamic muslims pretending to be liberal Americana,,, and begging for the usa to leave iraq,,, lol,,, they must be really getting their arses kicked,,, hahahahahaha,,,

and these fascist nazi terrorislamic muslim collaborators,,,

THEY ARE LOSING

Last letter from doomed Al Qaida chief: "We are so desperate for your help"
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2007/ss_iraq_09_30.asp

Iraq insurgency: People rise against al-Qa''eda
Damien McElroy spent a week in the heart of the insurgency in Anbar province in Iraq. In the second of seven exclusive reports he describes how peace and prosperity have returned to a town formerly riven by sectarian killings.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/08/wanbar308.xml

Al Qaeda Dealt Devastating Blow in Iraq
The U.S. military says it has dealt devastating and potentially irreversible blows to Al Qaeda in Iraq in recent months, leading some generals to advocate a declaration of victory over the group, which the Bush administration has long described as the most lethal U.S. adversary in Iraq, the Washington Post reported Monday.
Al-Qaeda In Iraq Reported Crippled
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/14/AR2007101401245_pf.html
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by david1737 January 17, 2008 7:38 PM EST
"The former Republican congressman...was indicted Wednesday as part of a terrorist fundraising ring that allegedly sent more than $130,000 to an al Qaeda and Taliban supporter who has threatened U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan."


And all the repubs want to talk about is Edwards $400 haircuts!

Shame, Shame, Shame
Reply to this comment
by david1737 January 17, 2008 7:36 PM EST
"The former Republican congressman...was indicted Wednesday as part of a terrorist fundraising ring that allegedly sent more than $130,000 to an al Qaeda and Taliban supporter who has threatened U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan."


And all the repubs want to talk about is Edwards $400 haircuts!

Shame, Shame, Shame
Reply to this comment
by terrorislam6 January 17, 2008 3:08 PM EST
so you want to be a fascist nazi terrorislamist,,,

British Muslim computer geek, son of diplomat, revealed as al Qaeda''''''''s top cyber terrorist http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=508543&in_page_id=1770

hahaha
Reply to this comment
by terrorislam6 January 17, 2008 2:57 PM EST
Posted by watcher269 at 06:08 AM : Jan 17, 2008

facist nazi terrorislam Motto " To Punish and Enslave "
Reply to this comment
by prinzowhales January 17, 2008 2:00 PM EST
Hal Turner, of racist radio infamy, has been shown to be an FBI provocateur and is said to have quit his show after being exposed as a hate-monger in government employee according to this article:

http://www.surfingtheapocalypse.net/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=198051

Now, do we see a pattern? Aryan Nations was headed by one...Elohim City when McVeigh, of OKC infamy, was in contact with the German agent that conveniently slipped out of the country...we saw this in the South with provocateurs the moving force in the Klan towards violence in many cases...we saw the FBI as being the driving force behind the 93 attack on the WTC...cooking the bomb, providing the detonator and timer, training the driver--and refusing permission in a taped telephone conversation--to their inside man to replace the explosives with a harmless powder...AND THE POLICE STATE is just finding its sea legs!
Reply to this comment
by watcher269-2009 January 17, 2008 1:20 PM EST
The Military is supposed to be sooo Honorable and supposed to be a PROUD profession - yet they follow these CROOKS, LIARS AND DECEIVERS - It is time that the Military Arrest Bush and Cheney for Crimes against the Constitution!

Impeach BUSH/CHENEY
Reply to this comment
by watcher269-2009 January 17, 2008 1:16 PM EST
Here is Home Grown Terrorism: What is hard to believe is why people still follow these ASSSHOLES?

Hang''em ALL

Very, very late last night, just before midnight, the Bush administration submitted a filing in CREW v. Executive Office of the President, our lawsuit challenging the failure of the White House to preserve and restore millions of missing emails. We first documented the massive loss of White House e-mails in our April 2007 report, WITHOUT A TRACE: The Missing White House Emails and the Violations of the Presidential Records Act.

With this new filing, the White House has admitted that although it has long known about the missing emails, it did nothing to recover them, or discover how and why they went missing in the first place. The missing emails are important historical records that belong not to the Bush administration, but to the American people. As a result, the public deserves a full accounting and hopefully, now that the matter is before a federal court, we will get one.

The White House has now admitted that it does not have an effective system for storing and preserving emails. This is no mere technicality; it is this failure that led to the likely destruction of over 10 million email. What the White House has not explained is why it abandoned the electronic record-keeping system used by the prior administration %u2014 a system that properly preserved White House email %u2014 but did not replace it with another effective and appropriate system.
Reply to this comment
by arakaczky January 17, 2008 1:11 PM EST
I guess you all realize that now we''ll have to invade Europe, too.
Reply to this comment
by samsel3 January 17, 2008 11:18 AM EST
If Jherkoff was really concened about terrorism he would have secured our ports and borders after 911.
Reply to this comment
by samrensho January 17, 2008 11:01 AM EST
This is just the prelude to the fear mongering that has become a staple of Republican campaigning. "Elect us or the bogey man will get you". Unfortunately people still believe that stuff. Sad really.
Reply to this comment
by jjp735i January 17, 2008 10:32 AM EST
Is Chertoff paving the ground for Bush to invade Europe? We know they have WMD and terrorism so Bush will not have to spin more tales like he did with Iraq when he lied to the American people.

Or is this a preview of terror alerts will be receiving as the election gets closer?

Reply to this comment
by skyk-2009 January 17, 2008 9:43 AM EST
Secretary Chertoff spoke in quite general terms, but note that he spoke to the BBC specifically. The UK is by far the most terrorism-friendly country in Europe, it has a thriving Muslim supremacist subculture, it shelters terrorist fugitives from the world over, and it eats a steady diet of anti-American propaganda.


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Posted by larryhammick at 02:58 AM : Jan 17, 2008
+ report abuse

Why is it no one ever address''s the REAL issue here? Why is it no one EVER ask the question about why we still face the threat from Bin Laden, after 6 long years and Trillions of Dollars, he''s still out there and has rebuilt his organization to the strenght it was when he attacked us. Why blame OTHER''s? Especially the ONLY Ally we have left? Look George W. Bush is the fault of this mess and it''s time we all accepted it.
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