Transcripts For CSPAN Hearing On Cartoon Contest Attack In G

His commitment makes him a valuable asset and we are happy to have you. I would like to join you and welcome mr. Donovan. He is an outstanding attorney and an outstanding public servant. Great to have you on board. Just to show how bipartisan we are going to be, as a democrat, i would like to welcome my former colleague dan donovan. It is great to have you here and i look forward to working with you. Anybody else echo mr. Richmond onto a more serious topic, yesterday in boston, sorts are merging that mr. Rahim was killed by federal Law Enforcement officers after lunging at them with a knife. After communicating with and spreading isis propaganda online. Known associates are also being arrested as we speak. These cases are a reminder of the danger posed by individuals radicalized by social media. In garland one month ago. He urge others to do the same the mohammed cartoon contest that islamists have singled out as a target. The final tweet minutes before the attack, he told his followers to follow a 20yearold British Foreign fighter embedded with isis and syria and one of the Top Recruiters who has been linked to the sitcom twitter hack in january of this year. He was quick to praise the attack and issued a warning that same night saying the knives have been sharpened and soon will come to your streets with death and slaughter. This attack simplifies a new era in which terrorism has gone vital. To attack an event. A radicalized follower heated that call and he took steps make sure his act of violence would spread and motivate more. It has turned homegrown extremists into sleeper operatives and attackers. The proliferation of jihadists propaganda online has established a new front in our battle against islamic extremists. We are no longer hunting terrorists living in case who only to mutate through careers. We are facing an enemys messages are posted and implemented in real time over the internet. Last month, the threat level at military bases across the country was elevated after isis supporters posted the names of military members serves. Inspiring fanatics can receive updates from extremist via twitter, watch isis blood lust on youtube, view jihad selfies on instagram, read religious justifications for murder on just paste it and find travel guides to the battlefield on ask fm jihad. Recruiters are mastering the ability to prey on susceptible youth seeking out users who have questions about islam or want to know what life is like in the socalled islamic state. They engage, establish bonds of trust, and assess the commitment of their potential recruits. From there extremist direct users to continue the conversation on more apps and secure communication hide the message from intelligence agencies. Such communication involves advice for terror safe havens, Contact Information for smugglers or the membership process for joining isis. I know people are disturbed by the trend joining us. Mobile apps like kick and what is up and apps like whicker and sure spot are allowing extremist to communicate outside of the view of Law Enforcement isis attempts to use the dark or deep web with just as concerning. These websites hide ip addresses and cant be reached by Search Engines giving terrorist another means by which they can recruit fighters, share intelligence raise funds. Yesterday in boston, they tailored the message for specific audiences and in doing so it projects power beyond the growing safe havens by amp amplifying battlefield susceptive people. This helps them achieve their self proclaimed caliphate. It stands in stark contrast to alqaedas past outreach that relied on top down messaging and propaganda more difficult for inspiring jihadist to find. Instead, isis is taking a grassroots approach to terror seeding the oppressive world view frameom the ground up. Isis is using its multi platform engagement to create a subculture that supports violent behavior and encourages attacks against the United States and its allies. They are a change for spreading terror and acquire from us a shift in the Counter Terrorism intelligence and operations. For example, we can start by doing what the fbi director suggested and that is shaking the trees more aggressively to quickly identify and engage potential homegrown jihadist. But this is a new front in the war against terror and it will require a new approach with a focus on the battle space. I am grateful for the thee witnesses we have here that are dealing firsthand on the front lines with how this terror is going viral. And i look forward to hearing your testimony and recommendations for confronting this new and dangerous challenge. With that, i now recognize the Ranking Member. Thank you, mr. Chairman and thank you for holding todays hearing. I would like to also thank the witnesses for appearing today. On may 3rd, the American Freedom Defense Initiative which is recognized as a hate group by the Southern Policy Law Center organized the mohammed art exhibit and contest in garland texas. Two violent extremist attacked police who were providing security to the event resulting in the wounding of a dedicated Police Officer. According to the fbi, hours before the attack, a bulletin was issued to state and local police stating one of the assailiants may have interest in traveling to the event. Unfortunately, the bulletin wasnt received in time. By no means am i saying the bulletin would have changed the outcome of the situation but i think it illustrates we need to continue to look into information sharing with state and local police and listening to the boots n on the ground. Supporters of the terrorist group isil praised the attacks. After the attack, it was discovered that one of the gunmen detailed his plans to leave the country and travel to syria to join isil on twitter. The assailants plans were disrupted when the fbi arrested some people that planned to travel with him. It also came to light he engaged with other isil followers from around the world true twitter. Mr. Chairman, we know that the threats from foreign and domestic terrorist groups are not going away overnight. Using the internet and social media to recruit members, plan attacks, and spread ideas is not novel. As director of the Counter Terrorism center pointed out in the hearing in this committee in february, isils exploitation plays a role in recruiting fighters from around the world. As we look at social media and how violent propaganda is spread we must look at ways to counter message. Both sides of the aisle are engaged in an examineation of the role and there is a dedicated coordinate who is working on this. Mr. Chairman, at the time, i request the committee have an open oversight hearing where we can take testimony from dhss coordinater about the role in implementing the strategy. Furthermore we know that more work remains to insure our foreign partners are willing and able to stop and identify foreign fighters at their borders. Last friday, the council issued a statement urging countries to enforce border controls that allow terrorist to travel from borders. It was stated in our february hearing there was work to be done in this area. I know that a committee has a task force that is examining this issue and we should be receiving their recommendations soon. Mr. Chairman, as i stated in our last hearing on this issue, we all have to prevent terrorist attacks against americans and on american soil. I encourage this committee to continue serious discussions on how to counter violent extremist messages while protecting constitutionalal constitutionalal Constitution Constitutional rights. We need to Work Together to pursue new approaches to stop violent extremists. I ask consent that the gentlemen from texas, mr. Sessions, the chairman of the rules committee, also represents garland, texas, be allowed to sit on the meeting and be allowed to participate. The gentlemen from texas is recognized. I would like to be recognized out of order for two minutes. Without objection. I appreciate you and the Ranking Members indullgence and i will yield my two minutes to pete sessions. Mr. Sessions is recognized. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much and thank you to chairman smith, my colleagues from san antonio for yielding time to me and i want to thank the young chairman of the Homeland Security committee, the gentlemen from austin, Michael Mccaul and members of the committee. Thank you for inviting me to participate in todays hearing to discuss the isis inspired terrorist attack in garland, texas. As the proud representative of the 32nd Congressional District of texas i am pleased to notify each and every one of you that all of north texas is committed to fighting terrorism specifically the city of garland, texas is a diverse, allamerican city that attracts families and businesses with its thriving economy and growing opportunities. Since 1891, the city went from a cotton growing city to a thriving area with almost a quarter mill nion people that call texas home. The mayor of garland, texas works closely with others and local officials including the school board and other communities and leaders to insure garland is a safe city to live in. On may 3rd, 2015 a Garland Police officer swiftly acted to protect the people of garland from what could have been a devastating event. I would like to thank the officers who saved countless lives. I remain committed to uphold our duty as elected officials to protect the people who we serve. It is my sincere home in todays hearing we can learn positive lessons so that other cities and communities can be as prepared as garland, texas if an event were to happen in their committee. Thank you. I yield back my time. Open statements may be submitted to for the record. Please today have a panel of witnesses before us today on this topic. The first is John Mulligan joining the National Counterterrorism as Deputy Director and was associate director for the terrorism at the National Security agencies. Francis taylor is next. Secretary for intelligence and analysis at the department of Homeland Security since april 2014 and before that was assistant sept of state for Diplomatic Security and office of foreign missions. And we have Michael Steinbach finally who was fdi director and is the assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division in july of 2014. Prior to assuming his current position he served as Deputy Assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division in the acting section chief of the fbis International Operation center. I want to thank you for being here. The chair recognizes Deputy Director John Mulligan to testify. Thank you, chairman mccaul, Ranking Member thompson and members of the committee. I look forward to discuss the growing use of social media for National Security. I am pleased to join my colleagues. We Work Together every day as part of the counterTerrorism Community. This morning i will speak briefly about the recent attacks in garland, texas and the role of social media in that event and then transition to broader remarks on isils use of social media before concluding efforts we and partners across the federal government are pursuing to counter that avenue of threat. As has been described, last month, two u. S. Citizens attacked an art exhibit and cartoon contest in garland texas. The attackers arrived on the day of the event, exited their car and opened fire with semiautomatic semiautomatic rifles injuring a guard on the scene. They were aware of the potential violence and responded quickly to prevent injuring or killing others. This Event Highlights the growing threat the nation faces from a new generation of terrorist operating from a far often who use social media to find likeminded associates within our borders who can be motivated to violence attacking with little to no warning. An isil supporter on twitter hosted a link to information about the cartoon contest a couple weeks beforehand and the message suggested extremist should follow in the footsteps of the Charlie Hebdo attack in paris. Days later, one of the attackers reached out and asked to move communication to private twitter messaging and the same individual urged members to follow the account of a known isil member. Hours before the attack, the attacker posted on his twitter terrorist attack. Isil operators praised the attacks and urged others to follow suit. They highlighted the attack in their online magazine. And like any brand that seeks to you are like any brand that seeks to target young people, you isil continually innovates and you its Online Marketing to insure it is developing affectively crafted messages and using well known platforms like youtube, facebook or and twitter isil works to make i feel sure they reach audiences and far and wide through i far and wide through reposting and and translations into multiply languages. I a they employ marketing trade you craft, attaching messages to trending topics in order to gain additional readership. Their social Media Presence is since the beginning of year isil published 1,070 pieces of a terrorist information. You you are a they are timely in delivery underscore isils you and you commitment to master social media tools to advance their objectives. You isil shaped their media content to amplify the affects of the violent opportunities to inject power and intimidation and employ appear approach to he will and enhance recruitment you enhance recruitment a you projection of the caliphate as an idealized familyfriendly environment in when personal you environment in when personal fulfillment can be realized. This has induced large number of are young people to make their way to combat zone of syria and you iraq. Isils social media operators are in you have pursued a new line of effort and following will statements from isil i leaders encouraging loan attacks in the west these operators are practicing online and you operators are practicing online and recruitment and were provisions of terrorist organizations. You as we have seen, some and individuals have embraced the messaging and sought to commit acts of violence on this bases. When it comes to countering the you spread of isils violent messaging several social media platforms have closed down are platforms have closed down accounts advocating terrorism and violent attacks. You a however, efforts to a prohibit the propagation of you prohibit the propagation of and violent messaging has not been universal and there is much you been universal and there is much work to be done to encourage greater vigilance and a broader sense of Corporate Responsibility to address this threat to public safety. We are employing the knowledge are we have developed that has been developed by the u. S. Counter Terrorism Community to refine and expand our efforts. You we have seen a steady in and proliferation of in Community Engaged initiatives across the state working the goal to give communities information and tools they need to the threats needed and to engage it before it manifest in violence. And in with our dhs colleagues and we have created and deliver a resilience exercise program, a in and table top exercise that brings together Law Enforcement and Community Leaders to run through a hypethetical scenario in and potential responses. In summary we need multi level a you Partnership Efforts to enable local u. S. Communities to and deal with the dual you capabilities of addressing radicalization and insuring responses when an individual moves from radical ideas to you radical violence. We need to communicate the knowledge so it could be used to minimize the application of terrorist online tactics against our citizens. You you you you i will stop you i will stop there, mr. You chairman. Thank you for the opportunity to you address the community. Chair new recognizes secretary taylor to testify. Chairman mccaul are representative thompson, and members of the committee thank you for the opportunity to appear with my colleagues to you discuss the homegrown violent extremist threat. The terrorist threat is in and decentralized and complex in decentralized and complex and not constrained to one group and not constrained to one group, race, ethnicity, origin in race, ethnicity origin, and religion or geographic location. You isis and others have will and will are expanded their recruiting at home and continue a to be effective in recruiting foreign fighters from western countries to travel to syria and you iraq. Core alqaeda and affiliates are in a remain a major concern for dhs the group and their affiliates maintain the intent you and and in some cases the he is capability to facilitate in capability to facilitate and his ability and to conduct attacks against u. S. Citizens and facilities. The attack planning continues you despite our persistent efforts to disrupt them. Through the sophisticated and messaging capability as mentioned, isil has been able to you and i reach a global and reach a global you audience and encourage acts of violence and i