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U.S. NEWS A3
Thursday 26 November 2015
Obama: No credible intelligence about plot against US
JULIE PACE Director James Comey, President Barack Obama, flanked by Attorney General Loretta Lynch, left, and Homeland Security
Associated Press Attorney General Loretta Secretary Jeh Johnson, speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Wednes-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- Lynch, Homeland Security day, Nov. 25, 2015, to brief the public on the nation’s homeland security posture heading into the
dent Barack Obama said Director Jeh Johnson and holiday season, following meeting with his national security team.
there is currently no “spe- his national security advis-
cific and credible” intelli- er, Susan Rice. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
gence indicating a terror- The president has faced
ist plot against the United criticism for his initial re-
States, as he sought to re- sponse to the Paris attacks,
assure anxious Americans particularly his focus on
ahead of the Thanksgiv- chiding Republicans who
ing holiday. called on him to be more
Speaking at the White aggressive in fighting the
House on Wednesday, Islamic State, the extremist
Obama said it was under- group believed to be be-
standable that Americans hind the deadly assault in
might be nervous following France.
the Nov. 13 attacks in Par- Obama was also sharply
is, which killed 130 people critical of lawmakers who
and wounded hundreds backed legislation that
more. While he encour- would effectively keep ref-
aged Americans to remain ugees from Syria and Iraq,
vigilant, he urged people where the Islamic State is
to go about their normal based, from coming to the
activities. U.S.
“While the threat of ter- He shifted his focus
rorism is a troubling reality Wednesday to Ameri-
of our age, we are both cans who may worry that
equipped to prevent at- the attacks in Paris, which
tacks and we are resilient took place at restaurants,
in the face of those who a concert venue and a
would try to do us harm,” sports stadium, could be
Obama said. “And that’s replicated in the U.S.
something we can all be “I know that Americans
thankful for.” have been asking each
Obama spoke after a brief- other whether it’s safe
ing with his national se- here, whether it’s safe to fly
curity team, including FBI or gather,” he said.q
Obama signs defense policy bill
despite Guantanamo provision
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- going operations around
dent Barack Obama on the globe, and important
Wednesday signed a $607 reforms to the military re-
billion defense policy bill tirement system” as well as
despite his opposition to other measures.
restrictions in the legislation He added, however, that
that ban him from moving he is “deeply disappoint-
Guantanamo Bay detain- ed that the Congress has
ees to the United States again failed to take pro-
and making good on a ductive action toward
long unfulfilled campaign closing the detention fa-
promise. cility at Guantanamo.”
Obama has opposed pro- Keeping the prison open,
visions preventing detainee Obama said, “is not consis-
transfers since Congress first tent with our interests as a
attached the measures to Nation and undermines our
spending bills in an attempt standing in the world.”
block Obama’s plans. The The White House and the
dispute has taken on add- Pentagon are preparing
ed intensity this year be- to send to Congress a plan
cause the White House has outlining more precisely
launched a final push to how it would shutter the
close to the prison before prison and where in the U.S.
Obama leaves office. might transfer detainees.
In a statement, Obama The proposal, however,
said the bill “includes vital was not expected to over-
benefits for military per- come sizable opposition
sonnel and their families, among Republicans and
authorities to facilitate on- some Democrats.q
