Rep. Peter King, a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said a “lone wolf” attack in the United States by an Islamic terrorist is inevitable but that authorities increasingly are prepared to deal with the threat.
“I believe it’s only a matter of time that we have one,” the New York Republican told MSNBC Wednesday. “I think most people in the intelligence community share that belief.”
But King said it’s his understanding that U.S. intelligence agencies don’t believe any Islamic terrorist group is planning a specific attack aimed at the U.S., at least not yet.
The lawmaker said Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson deserves credit for increasing security measures at federal buildings, a move the congressman says should serve as a “wakeup call to local governments” across the country.
King said police in New York City are ready to thwart terrorist attacks but added he was concerned other parts of the country are less prepared.
“There’s other areas around the country that don’t realize how these attacks can take place and how there’s greater likelihood of it now because [the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria] is doing such an intense job of trying to attract the most radical people in our country to adopt this radical Islamist view,” he said.
King said Islamic extremists also have “gone out of their way” to appeal to people with “mental issues,” such as a recent convert to Islam who attacked two New York City police officers last week with an ax. The assailant, Zale Thompson, was shot dead by police.
“He was involved in radical Islam. But at the same time, he was really not all there” mentally, King said. “He had serious mental illness, but he was drawn by this.”
