McCaul: Announcing Intent To Attack a Mall ‘Certainly Should Get Our Attention’
MCCAUL: "Any time an al Qaeda affiliate like al-Shabaab pronounces to attack the west and, in specific, shopping malls, I think that certainly should get our attention. Again, there’s no specific threat out there. Obviously Somalians, a lot of Somalians have left for Minneapolis where the Mall of America is, who have gone over there to join the fight. Some have returned. Some have been prosecuted for providing material support to terrorists. So this is a real concern in terms of the threat environment itself. The type of attack that we saw at West Gate shopping mall in Somalia that killed almost 70 people and over 175 wounded is precisely the kind of attack that I’ve been very concerned about for quite some time because of the damage it could do to the American psyche but also our economy.”
BERMAN: “Chairman, when you hear the secretary of homeland security tough say that if you’re going to the mall today, you should be particularly careful. You should be particularly vigilant. Do you approve of sending that kind of message? Do you think that’s necessary to hear for people?”
MCCAUL: “I don’t think we want to be fear mongers. I know that in some ways, both visible and invisible, that security is a little bit tightened at this shopping mall for obvious reasons because of this al Qaeda threat that’s been issued out there. Now, it’s very difficult for them to travel back and forth. However, I still see that threat environment very high and the fact is the ease with which this could be perpetrated concerns me as well and the amount of people that could be impacted. I would say the people should not be intimidated by the terrorists. We should go along with our lives in a normal process but be in a higher state of vigilance, particularly at this shopping mall.”
BOLDUAN: “That also highlights a very important issue before Congress right now when we talk about threats or potential threats to the homeland. You guys are heading back to Washington. You have four working days this week before the funding for the Department of Homeland Security runs out. Mr. Chairman, what is going to happen at the end of this week? I heard you say previously the House has passed a bill. It’s now up to the Senate. That’s not going to happen, let’s just be realistic. What is the solution in the end? Please help us understand.”
MCCAUL: “Well, you know, again, we passed a bill that fully funds the department. I think responsibly, it’s up to the Senate to what they determine, what they send back to the House and we’ll probably see something come back from the Senate this week and then we have to make some tough choices. But, Kate, I fully believe that we should not be not be playing politics with the national security agency like Homeland Security particularly given the high threat environment that we’re in right now as we look at ISIS, as we look at this latest pronouncement coming out of al-Shabaab. I’m very, very concerned that a Paris style attack could occur in the United States any time anywhere. And it would be irresponsible for lawmakers and policy makers to shut down this national security agency at this very brave time."
