Republican Senators Express Concerns Over Possible ISIS Threat in the U.S. Following Moscow Attacks
Written by: A. Hamilton
In the wake of the deadly terrorist attacks in Moscow, Republican senators in the United States have expressed their concerns over the potential threats posed by ISIS terrorists entering the country. An affiliate of the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on a concert hall in Russia that resulted in the tragic loss of more than 130 lives.
Senator Marco Rubio from Florida emphasized the need for increased vigilance, stating, "I think common sense tells you if they run a trafficking network of people, that would most certainly use it to move operatives into the United States.” Rubio continued with ABC’s “This Week, “I'm not claiming there's an imminent threat to the U.S., but I am saying that the border situation and the existence of that network is a threat to the United States. If they could do what they did in Moscow in the United States, they would do it in a heartbeat."
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told ABC’s This Week. “I’m not claiming there’s an imminent threat to the U.S., but I am saying that the border situation and the existence of that network is a threat to the United States. If they could do what they did in Moscow in the United States, they would do it in a heartbeat.
Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas echoed Rubio's concerns, expressing worry that Americans abroad could become targets of ISIS attacks. He said on said on Fox News Sunday, "We have millions of Americans who live or travel abroad throughout Europe and Asia embassy businesses, so I'm deeply worried that ISIS from Afghanistan will end up targeting Americans sooner rather than later."
While there are currently no specific threats targeting the U.S., military officials and the director of national intelligence have warned that ISIS poses a significant threat and is assessing potential attacks in both the United States and Europe. In fact, just two weeks ago, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a warning to avoid large gatherings, including concerts, due to extremist threats.
“We have millions of Americans who live or travel abroad throughout Europe and Asia embassy businesses, so I’m deeply worried that ISIS from Afghanistan will end up targeting Americans sooner rather than later,” Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said on Fox News Sunday.
The recent attack in Moscow, claimed by ISIS-K, also known as Islamic State-Khorasan, was the deadliest on Russian soil in years. Military and foreign policy experts in Washington have confirmed that ISIS-K has been focused on Russia since 2014.
In response, the Kremlin launched large-scale attacks against ISIS fighters in Syria in an effort to halt their activities in the Middle East and support the Syrian president, who is a longstanding ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As investigations into the Moscow attack continue, four men from Tajikistan have been charged with committing a terrorist attack resulting in the death of others. The court proceedings revealed that two of the suspects have accepted their guilt, although questions have been raised about the conditions under which they made their statements. The four men will remain in custody until May 22 for further investigation and trial.
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Russian authorities have also detained seven more individuals on suspicion of involvement in the attack. President Putin, in an address to the nation, sought to link the attack to Ukraine and claimed that the assailants were captured while attempting to flee there. However, the Ukrainian government has firmly denied any involvement.
As Russia mourns the loss of lives in the tragic attack, concerns over the potential entry of ISIS terrorists into the United States have intensified. Republican senators are urging the Biden administration to address the weaknesses in border security and implement stronger policies to safeguard American citizens from the threat of terrorism.
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