U.S. security officials worry about ISIS exploiting southern border
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – U.S. intelligence and security officials expressed on Wednesday concerns that the Islamic State (ISIS) group might take advantage of the southern border of the country.
Ken Wainstein, U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s undersecretary for intelligence and analysis, said concerns about ISIS exploiting the border have caused regular meetings to take place with the director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and have also resulted in an exceptional level of collaboration with the FBI.
Wainstein’s statement came when testifying before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism.
The recent arrest of eight individuals from Tajikistan, all of whom crossed into the United States through its southern border with Mexico, has increased concerns.
Although the initial background screenings showed no worrying signs, further investigations by U.S. law enforcement revealed the Tajik individuals had possible connections to ISIS.
“It’s not lost on us that the people who killed over 150 Russians in that theater were from the same part of the world,” said Wainstein referring to the attack on a concert hall in Moscow.
The attack was claimed by the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), an affiliate of the group operating in parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other nearby areas.
For many years, American officials responsible for countering terrorism have stated that there was no proof to suggest that ISIS or other organizations were attempting to enter the U.S. through its border with Mexico.
However, the recent events suggest a major change in the level of threat faced.
On June 14, the U.S. designated four individuals linked to a human smuggling network affiliated with ISIS.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated on Wednesday that the eight men from Tajikistan are currently undergoing the process of being removed from the U.S.
“We have increased our vigilance at our border,” said Jen Daskal, the White House deputy Homeland Security adviser, on Wednesday.