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“Any [counterterrorism] program, if truly needed, should be limited to Islamist-related terrorism activity and focused on diminishing the threat of terrorist activity as defined by statute,” he said. Inserra’s statements were made during a hearing of the Subcommittee on National Security and Government Operations entitled “Radicalization in the U.S and the Rise of Terrorism,” which focused on preventing terror attacks in the U.S. by committed Islamic extremists. According to the Heritage Foundation’s database “of known Islamist-related terrorist plots aimed at the United States since 9/11,” 89 plots have been detected since October 2001, including “25 successful or interrupted terrorist plots in the U.S. since the start of 2015.”
These plots “overwhelmingly are emanating from the home front,” Inserra testified. “Twenty-four of the 25 involved a homegrown element” and “at least 21 of 25 contained affiliation/support for/inspiration from ISIS.” “The trends are clear - more threats, more from inside America, more related to ISIS, more deadly,” he told subcommittee members. “There are a few truly lone wolf-types,” Inserra elaborated. “Most terrorist attacks, including the most recent act in Orlando, involved contact with other individuals. "In summary, the modern American Islamist terrorist comes from a diverse and somewhat small group” of about 200 individuals, all of whom engaged in various preparatory activities while planning their attacks," he said.
Therefore, “the most effective counterterrorism and intelligence programs focus on identifying the persons associated with these activities,” rather than the mode of attack or possible target. And although terrorist recruiting on the Internet is a concern, Inserra said that “one key variable appears to be the extent of human networks on the ground where extremist social networks are prevalent. “Where there is a human web to encourage, inspire and guide through the radicalization process, the impact of the Internet seems to be very more powerful and influential. Where there is less of a supporting group of individuals, the material appears to stimulate more interest than action,” Inserra testified.
However, he added that while there was a need for government surveillance programs to counter Islamic terrorism, such programs did not “relieve the government of its obligation to follow the law and respect individual privacy and liberty.”[ “Terrorism is an attack on our society and must be taken seriously. On the other hand, we don’t make Americans more safe and secure by undermining their freedoms and liberty,” Inserra testified.
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