Terrorism Threat On The Rise

Once again, we grieve the loss of life to a terrorist attack on American soil. Syed Farook, born in Chicago and raised in Southern California, and his Pakistan-born wife Tashfeen Malik, here on a visa, are suspected by the FBI of murdering 14 and wounding 21 others in San Bernardino, Calif.
Farook, 28, was a restaurant inspector with the San Bernardino County Health Department. He attended a Christmas party with department colleagues at a facility for people with disabilities, left, and later returned with his wife. The couple entered the building and fired hundreds of rounds of ammunition into the crowd. They left the scene and later were killed in a shootout with law enforcement officers.
An inspection of the couple’s car and home revealed an arsenal of expensive weapons, including high-powered rifles, 9mm pistols, pipe bombs, improvised explosive devises with detonators. and more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition. It’s likely that other attacks were planned.
Media reports have revealed that the couple was inspired by ISIS and had communication with terrorist affiliates on social media. They were wearing military grade tactical gear and were outfitted with GoPro cameras, a sign that they intended to share video of their attack on social media.
Since Tashfeen Malik came to America from a country with a high level of terrorist activity, she had to undergo a counter-terrorism background check in order to get her visa. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) have requested access to the State Department files.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) proposed a moratorium on visas being issued to citizens of the 30 Muslim countries with high levels of terrorism activity. The measure was defeated by a 90-10 margin. A recent Rasmussen Research poll shows that 65 percent of self-identified conservatives approve of the moratorium. Approximately 280,000 Muslims receive visas to enter the United States each year.
It took the FBI several days to classify the attack as an act of terrorism. The argument was made that it could be an incident of “workplace violence.” That supposition defies all logic. Why would a middle-income family purchase a weapons arsenal and tactical gear over a grievance in the workplace? They also attempted to destroy their cell phones and computer devices before the attack and left their 6-month-old baby with relatives.
This tragic loss of life calls into question why America is poised to go ahead with the settlement of a large number of Middle Eastern refugees without legitimate background checks. It should also cause Congress to investigate the National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance program. Trillions of phone calls, e-mails, and social media posts have been intercepted since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, but it’s not clear that the program has stopped any terrorist activity.
Another issue we must deal with is the culture of political correctness. Neighbors of the San Bernardino terror suspects admitted to observing visitors going in and out of Farook’s garage, which appears to have been a bomb assembly site, but were afraid to report the activity to law enforcement for fear of being accused of “racial profiling.” FBI Director James Comey held a press conference encouraging Americans to report suspicious-looking activities.
The politically correct crowd in both political parties and the media likes to stifle discussion of terrorism threats by using terms like “xenophobia” and “religious bigotry.” I say let’s focus on data and observed behavior and act accordingly. Don’t be afraid to speak out if you feel threatened.
One of my most memorable experiences in the Navy was a temporary assignment in the Arabian Gulf nation of Bahrain, which is connected to Saudi Arabia by a bridge. I went to parties hosted by the Bahraini royal family, most of whom went to American or British colleges. They loved America and our culture. Any one of them would have made an excellent neighbor. I enjoyed their music and their food.
What we must do is have a reliable system of background checks put in place by the U.S. State Department before issuing visas. Dr. Zhudi Jasser, President of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy said, “We need to vet Muslim immigrants who are on our side and reject those who wish to harm us.” Dr. Jasser also says the FBI needs more cyber-terrorism agents to detect threats on social media. Our government is obligated to keep us safe.
John Steinberger is the former chairman of the Charleston County Republican Party, a leading Fair Tax advocate, and a West Ashley resident. He can be reached at John.steinberger@scfairtax.org.