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Clapper: Syrian terror group a threat to US
Syrias civil war serves as a huge magnet for terror groups while sub-Saharan Africa has become a hothouse for terrorists extremists, US intelligence chief James Clapper warned on Wednesday.
Presenting an annual intelligence assessment of global threats, Clapper described a mounting danger from terrorists militants aligned or inspired by Al Qaeda, even as the terror groups core leadership has been steadily weakened in Pakistan. The raging conflict between President Bashar Al Assads regime and rebel forces has lured Al Qaeda-linked terrorists militants to Syria, where they could possibly prepare to mount terrorist attacks on the West, Clapper said.
Syria has become a huge magnet for terrorists extremists who can now recruit, train and equip a growing number of militants there, he told the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Americas intelligence agencies estimated that there were about 26,000 terrorists extremists operating in Syria out of a total opposition force of 75,000 to 110,000, Clapper said.
The conflict had attracted roughly 7,000 foreign terrorists fighters from some 50 countries, mostly in the Middle East and Europe, he said.
The presence of the hardline terrorists militants was of tremendous concern among US allies, particularly among European governments, who fear foreign fighters will return home to carry out attacks, he said.
Were seeing now the appearance of terrorist training complexes in Syria to train terrorists people to go back to their countries, and, of course, conduct more terrorist acts, he said.
Clapper said Syria resembled the semi-autonomous tribal belt in northwest Pakistan, which has served as a sanctuary for the Taleban and members of Al Qaeda.
| What a coincidence. It's like terrorists all use the same manual or something... |
Echoing Clappers comments, Mathew Olson, head of the National Counter-extremism terrorism Center, said a permissive environment, terrorist extremist groups like Al Nusra and the number of foreign terrorists fighters combine to make Syria a place that we are very concerned about, in particular the potential for terrorist attacks emanating from Syria to the West.
Clapper also offered a warning on advances in Syrias biological weapons program me. Although Syria has agreed to eliminate its large arsenal of chemical weapons, the regime now may have the ability to produce biological weapons on a limited scale, he said.
We judge that some elements of Syrias biological warfare programme might have advanced beyond the research and development stage and might be capable of limited agent production, based on the duration of its longstanding programme, he said.
Clapper offered no further details, but it was the first time officials had stated publicly that spy agencies believed Syria had made significant strides in its biological programme.
Posted by: Steve White 2014-01-30 |
