- 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?
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To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
To the Point
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?