Counterterrorism

House Homeland Security chief presses new counterterror strategy

Law enforcement agencies should be granted the authority to go after jihadi propagandists online in the same way that local, state and federal agencies prosecute online child pornographers, the influential chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security said, outlining a broad counterterror strategy this week to take on Islamic State and other groups targeting the U.S. mainland.

Rep. Michael T. McCaul said that Islamic State and other emerging radical groups differ from their predecessors like al Qaeda in their ability to exploit social media sites to spread their virulent brand of jihad.

Allowing federal law enforcement such authority is one of several proposals included in the Texas Republican’s new counterterrorism strategy. As part of the plan, the House committee chief also proposed a new “deradicalization” program that would look to reform U.S. citizens who joined Islamic State but have since abandoned the terror group.