Main threat

ISIS In The Pacific And The Threat To The Homeland

Reports of ISIS losing ground in Syria and Iraq have not only signified the group’s depleting influence in the area, but have also contributed to growing concerns that the so-called caliphate will try to consolidate power in other regions of the world, most notably Southeast Asia.

Against this backdrop, the House Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence held a hearing on April 27 to assess the threat of Islamic radicalization in Southeast Asia and the influence that ISIS affiliated militant groups have in the region.

“The spread of Islamist terrorism around the globe is a major concern for US homeland security,” said Subcommittee Chairman Peter King (R-NY). “Addressing this threat requires steadfast monitoring and proactive actions in every corner where ISIS and Al Qaeda ideology is spreading.”

King continued, “While rightfully focusing on Syria and Iraq in our fight against ISIS, we should not ignore the growth of extremist activity and ideology in other parts of the world.”

Between the years of 2014 and 2016 there have been 75 known ISIS linked terror plots against the West, with 43 percent of plotted attacks carried out successfully. One-third of these attacks directly involved ISIS while the remaining were inspired by the hardline militant group.