Visiting Canada for the first time as Department Homeland Security (DHS) chief, secretary Jeh Johnson addressed the Canadian American Business Council on Wednesday. His remarks focused on existential threats in the world today, particularly in relation to the United States and Canada and the efforts of the two countries’ governments to safeguard their borders. While the Obama administration has asserted that “core al Qaeda” is “on the run” and a “shadow of its former self,” Johnson nevertheless led with that group when enumerating the terror organizations that DHS is tasked with defending the country against [emphasis added]:
Notably missing from the mention of “core al Qaeda” is the word “decimated” which the White House often uses as a descriptor for the group credited with carrying out the original September 11 attacks.
Johnson went on to note “lone wolf” terrorist threats, as well as the danger of returning fighters who have travelled to Syria or Iraq to join the Islam State (ISIL.) He added that the “FBI has arrested a number of individuals who have tried to travel from the U.S. to Syria to support terrorist activity there.”
