- Social:
George Washington University
Director of the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University; Special Assistant for Homeland Security to then-President Bush (2001-2003)
PROFILE
Frank Cilluffo
Guest
FROM Frank Cilluffo
To the Point
Can Intervention Prevent Homegrown Terror? Today or tomorrow, an 18-year-old Somali-American is expected to be transferred from jail to a halfway house in Minnesota—to await trial on federal charges of terrorism. The goal is to keep him out of prison—where hardened prisoners might radicalize him further. We look at the risks of a new approach toward homegrown extremists. A Minneapolis neighborhood is known as “Little Mo,” short for Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. It’s home to the nation’s largest population of Somali-Americans, some 30,000 people. Abdullahi Yusef, is 18, had a job at Best Buy and planned to attend community college. Then, he was arrested by the FBI—on the way to the airport for a flight to Turkey.
To the Point
Boston and the Modern Manhunt The toll from the Boston Marathon bombings is three dead and 48 still hospitalized with the total number of injured now 264. The surviving suspect's condition is said to be "fair." The motivation behind the atrocity may never be known but, in the meantime, there are many other unanswered questions. Cell phones, surveillance cameras and crowd sourcing all helped police to identify and locate the bombers by Thursday, but not before social media and professional news organizations had reported false information. Did shutting down all of Boston give amateur "terrorists" extra impact? Was it a preview of what's to come?
To the Point
Homegrown Terrorism and 'Bunches of Guys' The train bombings in Madrid and London exposed the threat of "homegrown terrorism." Now the focus of law enforcement has changed from disaffected lone wolves to what the FBI calls "BOG's" or "bunches of guys." The New York Police Department pinpoints small groups of "unremarkable people" it says can be transformed into willing killers. The NYPD report calls the process a "road map" of radicalization which creates both opportunities and problems for law enforcement. Can local law enforcement take preventive action against BOG's without violating constitutional liberties? Why do the cops need satellite surveillance?
Which Way, L.A.?
The London Airline Plot and the War on Terror A jet plane bound from London to Washington was diverted to Boston today. It turned out that a woman with claustrophobia had an altercation with the flight crew. But F-15 fighters were dispatched to escort the plane to the ground. That shows how much tension there is among pilots, airline officials and security personnel since the plot to bomb airplanes was revealed last week. Meantime, there have been rumors that the US and Pakistan pushed British intelligence officials to make arrests before they were ready. We get the latest on these developments, and what they reveal about airline safety, and whether the so-called "war on terror" is being fought more by intelligence agents than soldiers.
To the Point
The London Airline Plot and the War on Terror A jet plane from Britain to Washington, DC was forced down in Boston today because an "unruly" female passenger caused some disturbance. In Britain, police have arrested a 24th suspect in the airline bombing conspiracy, and they're trying to extradite another suspect from Pakistan. Interior ministers from the European Union met today to discuss their mutual security, and Britain's Interior Minister John Reid described the threat of terrorism "very real." We get the latest on these developments and what they reveal about airline safety and the war on terror. Were British investigators pushed to go public by making arrests before they were ready? Is Pakistan in accord with the West, against it--or both? Is the so-called "war on terror" being fought more by intelligence agents than soldiers?
Recommended
To the Point
What happens when America retreats from the world? Is President Trump taking his "America First" agenda to extremes, withdrawing the country from the international stage on trade and climate change, distancing America from its traditional allies across the Atlantic and even threatening to physically isolate the country through the building of a wall along its southern border? León Krauze guest hosts.
To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
Left, Right & Center
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.