Foreign Fighter Task Force Travels Through Middle East

This week I have been traveling throughout the Middle East with the Foreign Fighter Task Force to examine the evolving security threats facing our great nation, including the flow of foreign fighters from Western countries to Syria and Iraq and their role in recent attacks against the United States and our European allies. Throughout the week I had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Hairder Al-Abadi in Baghdad, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, and senior officials from the Ministry of Interior and Foreign Affairs in Turkey. During these meetings we discussed how we can effectively work together to identify known or suspected terrorists and foreign fighters who pose a threat to the homeland, and how to prevent them from traveling to the United States.

In light of the attack in Garland this past weekend, learning how to identify these foreign fighters is critical to effectively protect Americans both at home and abroad. I would like to commend the Garland Police officers and other members of law enforcement for their professionalism and bravery in the face of what could’ve been a devastating situation. Their swift action saved countless innocent lives and showed terrorists that Americans will fight and defeat anyone who tries to attack our nation’s freedoms