The notion of one or more sleeper cells in the US almost sounds like something out of a TV series. And in fact, such a series did hit the airwaves. That was about a decade ago. Today, there are some bold and outspoken voices in Washington that would say that such a reality is nowhere.
The France bombings Syrian immigrants have created a great deal of concern among many in Washington and across the nation about the safety of the American people. One voice that is being especially outspoken on Capitol Hill is North Carolina Congressman Robert Pittenger.
The Republican Representative said on Thursday that, "The American people are deeply concerned about their security. More than ever before, what is taking place in Paris today, as awful as it is, we need to recognize that that can be transplanted here in our country.
"We have sleeper cells pervasive throughout the country, in every state, very difficult [and] challenging for the FBI to follow them -- and our Homeland Security -- so we must be recognizing that we have a security issue right here."
President Obama is on the other end of the spectrum about the concern that many government leaders and American citizens have. He has made a point of attempting to minimize the severity of the situation, even being as tacky and ignorant as to ridicule outspoken Republicans by referring to Syrian immigrants as displaced, "widows and orphans." Ironically, it was only hours after such unintelligent and ridiculous remarks that a female suicide bomber detonated herself as police were about to capture her. Also, only days after the Paris attacks unfolded, Washington itself and many other countries received a threat from ISIS.
About half of America's state governors are concerned about a new infiltration of terrorists and the strengthening of existing sleeper cells through immigrants. They are so deeply concerned that they are blocking immigrants from coming into their respective states.
Congressman Pittenger says the immigrant situation is a decision belonging to each state, which makes it a Constitutional part of the 10th amendment (individual states' rights). He said, "We are a divided government. We have an executive branch, a legislative branch, a judicial branch -- all equal branches. He [President Obama] is not a monarch, and he needs to work with our Congress, and Congress, of course, wants to work with governors. They'll be the ones who are responsible."
This past February, Homeland Security Chief Jeh Johnson had said on CNN's "State of the Union" that there are ISIS (or ISIL) cells and other terrorist cells that have, "a desire to conduct an attack" within the United States. He also said during the show that, "there were arrests of five individuals who were providing material support, allegedly, to ISIL."
About a year ago former CIA officer Bob Baer stated that "I have been told with no uncertainty there are ISIS sleeper cells in this country." Also, a Reuters reporter had received several phone calls around that same time stating that ISIS had plans to perform terrorist attacks in both Europe and America.
