This editorial speaks about the possibility of a jihad attack in New England, but what it says is true of everywhere in the United States, as well as Europe. “Time bombs: Terrorists in New England,” from the Union Leader, June 27 (thanks to Orville):
Last Monday, Faisal Shahzad pleaded guilty to trying to explode his SUV in Times Square. He also acknowledged that he came to Massachusetts to collect $5,000 in financing for the plot. Federal prosecutors say the money was from the Pakistani Taliban.
If there are Taliban members in Massachusetts, might they shop at Rockingham Park Mall in Salem or enjoy a Sunday afternoon at Hampton Beach? Might some even live in New Hampshire? […]
The federal government cannot keep home-grown terrorists out of the country. But it can keep a vigilant eye on those with known terrorist sympathies and “connect the dots.” It can make it harder for foreign nationals who would slay us in the name of their god — or who have participated in mass murder — to get here. It can do these things if Congress and the occupant of the White House have the will.
Alas, a few months shy of the 9th anniversary of 9/11, it remains easier to pass undetected into the United States than to get into a rock concert without a ticket. And the current administration in Washington opposes states, overwhelmed with illegal immigrants, taking border security into their own hands.
What will it take for our government (of both parties) to get serious about keeping terrorists out of our communities? A blown up subway train or city bus? A lost shopping mall or sports stadium? Washington waits, but the terrorists are already here.