Homegrown radicals changing terrorism threat in U.S.

WASHINGTON - The rising threat from homegrown radicals makes terrorist plots against the U.S. harder to detect and more likely to succeed, top administration officials are scheduled to tell Congress on Wednesday.

In a written testimony to be delivered before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Michael E. Leiter, chief of the National Counterterrorism Center, each say terrorist threats have become more complex, with a greater array of plotters inspired by Al Qaeda without necessarily being directly linked to the terrorist network.

“Homegrown terrorists represent a new and changing facet of the terrorist threat,” Napolitano said in the testimony, obtained in advance by the Los Angeles Times.

The newspaper further adds: “The threat is evolving in several ways that make it more difficult for law enforcement or the intelligence community to detect and disrupt plots.”

“Homegrown extremists are increasingly more savvy, harder to detect, and able to connect with other extremists overseas,” Mueller said.

He adds: “The Internet has expanded as a platform for spreading extremist propaganda, a tool for online recruiting, and a medium for social networking with like-minded violent extremists, all of which may be contributing to the pronounced state of radicalization inside the United States.”

The statements were less clear on how the government intends to counter the domestic threat.(ANI)