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U.S. NEWSThursday 10 December 2015
FBI: California shooters radicalized at least 2 years ago
FBI Director James Comey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, before have been part of this, but sidered.
the Senate Judiciary Committee. Comey said the two San Bernardino shooters were radicalized these two killers were star- Malik’s father, reached in
at least two years ago and had discussed jihad and martyrdom as early as 2013. ing to radicalize towards Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, con-
martyrdom and jihad as demned his daughter’s ac-
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh) early as 2013,” said the FBI tions and said he is “very,
director, using an acronym very sad... I am in such pain
ERIC TUCKER couple’s path toward ex- Malik pledged allegiance for the Islamic State. “And that I cannot even de-
ASIF SHAHZAD tremism. to the group’s leader in a so that’s really before ISIL scribe it.”
Associated Press Investigators now believe Facebook post around the became the global jihad The father, Gulzar Ahmed
WASHINGTON (AP) — The that Syed Rizwan Farook time of last week’s massa- leader that it is.” Malik, has been a resident
two San Bernardino shoot- and his wife, Tashfeen cre — agents are still look- The latest disclosure also in the kingdom since the
ers were radicalized at Malik, embraced radical ing for other motivations suggests that the govern- early 1980s, the Saudi Inte-
least two years ago — well Islamic ideology even be- and sources of radicaliza- ment’s vetting process rior Ministry says. His daugh-
before one of them came fore they had begun their tion, especially because failed to detect Malik’s ter was from Pakistan but
to the U.S. on a fiancée visa online relationship and the couple’s interest in ex- radicalization when she traveled to Saudi Arabia. A
— and had discussed jihad that Malik held extremist tremism predates the terror applied for the visa, though former classmate, Afsheen
and martyrdom as early as views before she arrived in group’s emergence as a Comey said he didn’t know Butt, said Malik showed
2013, FBI Director James the U.S. last year. household name, Comey enough to say whether drastic changes after a trip
Comey said Wednesday in Though the FBI believes the told the Senate Judiciary weaknesses in the visa pro- to Saudi Arabia in late 2008
providing the most specific pair was inspired in part by Committee. cess enabled her to enter or early 2009.
details to date about the Islamic State ideology — “ISIL inspiration may well the U.S. Comey described the cou-
“After this hearing today, ple as an example of home-
every American will be ask- grown violent extremists
ing the question, how did who appear to have radi-
this woman come in on a calized “in place,” drawing
fiancée visa?” said Sen. a distinction between the
Chuck Schumer, a New San Bernardino attack and
York Democrat and mem- the one last month in Paris
ber of the committee. that officials suspect in-
Malik came to the United volved planning and train-
States in July 2014 from ing in Syria.
Pakistan after being ap- The FBI has revealed little
proved for a K-1, or fian- else of what it’s learned
cée visa, and married Fa- about Farook and Malik
rook the following month. and their planning, except
Homeland Security Secre- for details about the weap-
tary Jeh Johnson has said onry they had, materials
the Obama administration they had to make more
is now reviewing the pro- pipe bombs and that both
gram. He did not say what had been taking target
changes were being con- practice.q
Defense secretary: US ready to do more to help retake Ramadi
DEB RIECHMANN ing attack helicopters and requested by Prime Minis- as the administration fac- It was the first time that
Associated Press accompanying advisers” ter Haider al-Abadi, Carter es criticism from Congress Carter has testified be-
WASHINGTON (AP) — De- if circumstances dictate said. about its strategy to defeat fore the committee since
fense Secretary Ash Carter the extra assistance and if Carter outlined the steps the IS militants, reflecting IS claimed responsibility
said Wednesday the U.S. a nation’s growing fears for bombing a Russian air-
is willing to assist the Iraqi Defense Secretary Ash Carter, center, followed by Joints Chiefs about the threat of terror- liner and attacks in Beirut
army with more personnel Vice Chairman Gen. Paul Selva, are greeted on Capitol Hill in ism. and Paris and the deadly
and attack helicopters to Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, by Senate Armed Ser- Carter said that during the attack in San Bernardino,
help it fight Islamic State vices Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, and past several months, the California, by a self-radical-
militants, especially in the the committee’s ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., right, prior U.S.-led coalition fighting ized couple.
battle to retake a key city to testifying before the committee’s hearing. IS in Iraq and Syria has pro- Sen. John McCain, the Re-
in Iraq. vided specialized training publican chairman of the
In recent days, Iraqi forces (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) and equipment, including committee, advocated
advanced on Ramadi, the combat engineering as- for more U.S. troops to be
provincial capital of An- sistance such as bulldoz- sent to stem IS momentum.
bar province, retaking a ing, and munitions such as “There are 20,000 to 30,000
military operations center AT-4 shoulder-fired missiles of them. They are not gi-
and a neighborhood on to stop truck bombs, to the ants. Somebody is going to
the outskirts of the city. IS Iraqi army and counter-ter- have to convince me that
fighters captured Ramadi rorism service units enter- air power alone” is going to
in May in a major setback ing Ramadi neighborhoods do the job, McCain said.
for Iraqi troops. from multiple directions. Carter defended the
“The United States is pre- He predicted tough fight- Obama administration’s
pared to assist the Iraqi ing ahead, but said Iraqi decision to not deploy a
army with additional forces have shown resil- heavy U.S. ground force
unique capabilities to help ience when faced with to drive IS from Syrian and
them finish the job, includ- counter-attacks from IS. Iraqi territory. q
