FOURTEEN people were killed and 21 others wounded when a couple opened fire in San Bernardino, California last Wednesday, Dec. 2. FBI Director James Comey said they uncovered “indications of radicalization” and possible “inspiration by foreign terrorist organizations.”
Comey said the FBI does not have any clue that these killers are part of an organized larger group or form part of a cell, nor are there any hints that they are part of a network.
NBC News reported on Thursday, Dec. 3 that Farook, an American citizen of Pakistani descent, was from Chicago and worked for five years as a San Bernardino County health inspector. He appeared to have been radicalized, and had reportedly been in touch with people in the Los Angeles area who expressed support for jihad.
According to Intelligence sources, Farook appeared to have been in communication with people overseas who are of interest to US authorities.
NBC News reported on Friday, Dec. 4 that Tashfeen Malik pledged allegiance to the leader of ISIS just before she and her husband Syed Rizwan Farook carried out the the San Bernardino massacre. This would confirm their link to the terroririst group.
According to NBC News, Farook’s brother-in-law contended that the slain suspect was an observant Muslim but not a “radical” and never gave any indication of what may have motivated him and his wife to launch a terror attack with four guns and explosives.
This recent mass shooting and the many other violent attacks previous to this heightens the fear and paranoia in America, and the enemy is not just necessarily from outside of the country.
The Quinnipiac University’s national poll reveals that 58 percent of American voters believe homegrown jihadists are a much bigger threat to the nation’s national security.
17 percent say radicalized foreign visitors are the bigger threat, while 46 percent think the bigger threat will be terrorists hiding among Syrian refugees.
The debate continues among government officials on what should be done to end these senseless killings in the country.
The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” asked its viewers in an online poll on what is the best way to stop mass shootings in America.
Half of the voters, 50 percent, said stricter gun control laws should help solve the problem. 27 percent voted for more treatment for people with mental health issues, while 23 percent said there should be tougher background checks before anyone is given the permit to cartry and operate guns.
What do you think?
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
