Monday, September 14, in New York City, federal and city counterterrorism agents raided homes of those suspected to be involved in terrorist plots against the United States. As part of a joint terrorism task force activity, this is a big win for law enforcement, and it shows just how far information sharing has come in terms of linking together federal, state and local resources.
There are those that try to say the U.S. isn’t any safer since 9/11. Or that the threat has gone away. Neither are true. As my colleague and I point out in our recent Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, “Terrorist Watch: 23 Plots Foiled Since 9/11,” the U.S. has foiled over 23 plots in the United States since 9/11. This isn’t an accident. The work done in NYC on Monday and the successes since 9/11 demonstrate that something is working and that our homeland security structure is keeping Americans safer.
After 9/11, America realized it needed the right tools to track down and stop those who wished to do harm to the United States. That why the U.S. put in place the Patriot Act, strengthened FISA, and created a new Department of Homeland Security. That’s why we pushed for fusion centers, a consolidated terrorist watch list, and a secure driver’s licenses, among other initiatives.
Monday’s raids should be a reminder that the terrorists won’t stop trying to hurt Americans. This means Congress and the Administration can’t back down either.
