Michael McCaul Makes Eerie Warning That Iran-Backed Actors Are 'Operating Inside The United States'

3 months ago

During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing in July, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) claimed that "Iran-backed" terror groups could

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00:00The Committee on Homeland Security Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States will come to order.

00:09Without objection, the Chair may declare the committee in recess at any point.

00:13The purpose of this hearing is to assess historical incidents and attacks at sporting events and other mass gatherings

00:20in anticipation of upcoming high-profile international events that the United States will be hosting.

00:27I now recognize myself for an opening statement.

00:31I'd like to welcome everyone to this inaugural hearing of the Bipartisan House Committee on Homeland Security Task Force

00:38on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States.

00:43In the coming decade, the United States will host millions of international travelers

00:48for several major national and international special events,

00:52including the FIFA World Cup, the celebration of the United States' 250th birthday in 2026,

01:00and the Los Angeles Summer Olympics of 2028.

01:05Though these events present an opportunity to showcase everything that makes America great,

01:11we cannot forget that our adversaries and other violent extremists will view these events as targets

01:17for inflicting mass casualties and generating fear.

01:22To that end, I am honored to chair the task force and lead the committee's efforts in investigating

01:28and conducting oversight of the security needs of these major national and international events.

01:36Our goal is to develop and advance legislative solutions that will enhance our preparedness

01:41and security posture against all threats.

01:45And I look forward to working with the ranking member of the task force,

01:48Ms. Nellie Poe of New Jersey,

01:50and with all the members assigned to this task force to empower

01:53state and local law enforcement and other first responders to carry out their missions.

01:59As we prepare to secure the major events ahead,

02:03this task force must begin by learning from past failures,

02:07both here and abroad.

02:10In the United States, we've seen deadly attacks at mass gatherings,

02:14the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta,

02:17and the 2025 New Year's Day attack in New Orleans.

02:22Abroad, the 1972 Munich Olympics,

02:26which are still emblazoned in my mind,

02:29saw a terrorist murder nine, or sorry,

02:3111 Israeli athletes after exploiting security gaps.

02:35In addition, in 2015, ISIS launched coordinated attacks across Paris, killing 130.

02:44These tragedies make clear the cost of complacency,

02:47and we owe it to the American people to confront these lessons

02:50and ensure we don't repeat them.

02:53This hearing is the first step.

02:56Today's historic focus will lead us to discuss and consider,

03:00like the instance of vehicular terrorism on January 1st of this year in New Orleans.

03:07The crowd security breach at the Copa America final game at the Miami Hard Rock Stadium last year,

03:15and the Kansas City parade shooting early last year.

03:18We will also discuss the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing,

03:25which occurred during my tenure as chairman of this committee.

03:30And Commissioner Davis, it's great to see you again.

03:34We worked well together in our oversight and investigating the activities following that tragedy

03:41to find a constructive outcome so that something like that couldn't happen again.

03:47So we look forward to hearing from our witnesses on these challenges,

03:51what we can do better.

03:52More importantly, we want to know what more Congress and the federal government can do

03:56to strengthen security ahead of these major events.

04:00One clear lesson from the past attacks is the need for strong intelligence sharing.

04:05Our state and local law enforcement rely on timely information from the federal intelligence community,

04:12especially our fusion centers.

04:14With rising tensions in the Middle East and the threat of Iran-backed actors operating inside the United States,

04:21raising awareness and coordination is critical to stopping potential attacks before they happen.

04:28Earlier this month, Congress passed and the president signed into law

04:32supplemental funding for the World Cup and the Los Angeles Olympics,

04:36which will be used in part to enhance information sharing.

04:41That same information sharing is critical in stopping human trafficking,

04:45which we see, unfortunately, all too well at these events.

04:50With millions of international visitors expected, criminal networks will look to exploit.

04:56We also face a growing threat from drones.

04:58According to the NFL, there were over 2,800 drone incursions at stadiums during the 2023 season,

05:06a 4,000% increase from just five years prior.

05:11With minimal skill, bad actors can use these drones to launch attacks or create chaos.

05:18Yet most state and local agencies lack the authority to respond.

05:23We need to equip federal agencies so they can help the state agencies and close the gap to make these events safe.

05:31We have a lot of work to do ahead of these events.

05:34I hope this hearing is a strong first step to ensure the incidents we discussed today will never happen again,

05:43and that the United States remains a global leader in providing safe and secure experiences for citizens and visitors alike.

05:50And with that, I now recognize the ranking member of the task force, Ms. Poe, for her opening statement.

Michael McCaul Makes Eerie Warning That Iran-Backed Actors Are 'Operating Inside The United States'

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