Happening all around us as a result of new technology . Watch the communicators monday night on cspan2. Now a look at the terrorist attacks in europe and whats being done to prevent similar attacks here in the u. S. And other places around the world. This hearing from the Senate HomelandSecurity Committee focused on recruiting efforts by isis and the need to improve information sharing among European Countries. Its just under two and half hours. Ron johnson good morning. This hearing will come to order. I want to welcome the witnesses, certainly thank you for your thoughtful testimony. Were going to be looking forward to hearing it and have an opportunity to ask a number of questions. This hearing originally was planned and we were going to be talking about an issue that senator carper and i are also very concerned about, is just biosecurity and the threats that we face, and, you know, with the unfortunate tragic events in brussels, we thought wed maybe expand it. We maybe can still pick up on some of those biothreats as well, but we thought wed like to hold a hearing and really take a look at, you know, what is the root cause that is driving this activity in europe . You know, what are the implications here in america . In january 2016, we had a foiled plot in milwaukee, wisconsin against a masonic temple by an individual named Samy Mohammed hamzeh. Now, id say this was a real Success Story on the part of the fbi and those individuals, the informants that worked to foil that plot. In the complaint filed against Samy Mohammed hamzeh, ive just got 4 little sentences. And i, theyre disconnected, but it certainly reveals whats on the minds or the mind of an individual that actually plot to slaughter innocent human beings. This is what he was quoted as saying. Im telling you, if this hit is executed, it will be known all over the world. The people will be scared and the operations will increase. This way, we will be igniting it. I mean, we are marching at the front of the war and we will eliminate everyone. Now, in his plotting, he was trying to accomplish killing 100 people. And in the complaint, he also said hed be 100 happy if he was able to kill 30. These threats that europe is facing, these threats that america are facing because of islamic terrorists are real and theyre growing. And the purpose of this hearing is really to, again, take a look at the root cause of those problems, see what we do here in america to try and keep this nation, our homeland, as safe and secure at possibly. I also do have to say we, on march 22, we did reach out the day after the brussels hearing to the fbi, also to dhs, and the National Counterterrorism center, to have witnesses appear before this committee today. Unfortunately, nobody from any of those departments or agencies agreed to testify, which is disappointing to me. I know secretary johnsons on the hill today, having a press conference on additional funding for dhs which, listen, we want to support the department having the tools and the resources they need to keep this nation safe. I think probably a pretty good way to try and secure those resources would be coming before a Committee Like this to lay out the reality of what the problem is. So im disappointed that we dont have a government witness today, or witnesses, but i certainly appreciate the, the fact that youve come here today and are willing to testify. So with that, ill turn it over to senator carper. Tom carper thank, thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you for pulling us together today, to each of our witnesses. Good to see you, and thank you for your preparation and for joining us on this occasion. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families of the victims of those who died two weeks ago and my hope is that something good can emerge from something awful. And this hearing is part of that process. As with the paris terrorist attacks and similar attacks in places around the world, like pakistan, like turkey, as well as the Boston Marathon in our own country, San Bernardino attacks, and more recently what happened in brussels exposes yet again the vulnerability that we face in public places, places that are hard to defend, malls, trains, train stations, airports, and the like. With todays 24 7 news cycle, americans are seeing these attacks unfold literally in real time. From our living rooms we can see the devastation that these attacks have caused and the pain that they inflict on the victims and on their loved ones. So, americans are understandably easy, and they are concerned for their safety, for the safety of their families and friends, and their neighbors. Its important, though. I think its important for us to remember that the most potent weapon that terrorists, like those who committed these attacks, have is fear. They want to scare us into turning against one another and against our neighbors in this country. They want to make us afraid to go about our everyday lives. We might feel a little bit safer if we saw more obviously security at every single public place we visit, even if that were possible. But those measures come at a very high price, and dont necessarily deter terrorists who do not value other lives or even their own life. And many would argue, i believe correctly, that turning every public place into a heavily guarded fortress would restrict americans own personal freedom, even if we could afford to do so. Instead, we need to be smart about how we combat these everevolving terror threats. We must continuously sharpen our ability to predict and prevent terrorist plots through the use of our robust intelligence and Law Enforcement capabilities, and our ability to share information. Refining these tools and ensuring that we keep pace with the evolving threat we face is an important responsibility of our federal agencies and congress, and also for the folks at the local level. We have a responsibility as well, along with our international partners, to continue to take the fight to isis in iraq, in syria, and many other places. Isis recent losses have been severe. It has lost at least 40 of the territory that it once held in iraq. Coalition forces have killed more than 10,000 isis fighters and 20 key isis leaders in recent months, including isis chief propagandist and executioner. And just over a week ago, American Forces carried out a strike that lead to the death of isis finance chief and secondincommand. Simultaneously, we continue to enhance the capabilities of the Iraq Counterterrorism forces. Iraqi forces captured ramadi from isis just two months ago. And a battle to seize the isis stronghold in mosul is well underway. And with the ceasefire in Syria Holding so far, more guns are being turned on isis. Isis is being pushed back on its heels in iraq and in syria. Consequences may very well be that the group, out of desperation, will seek to project a facade of power and momentum by directing or inspiring terrorist attacks against unprotected targets in europe, in the United States, and other places around the world. We must not let these cowardly acts deter our resolve. To the contrary, we must redouble our efforts to destroy isis, take away its safe havens, but we must also learn from the brussels terror attack to ensure that our intelligence and Law Enforcement authorities at all levels of government are ready and able to identify and stop similar attacks both here at home and other places before theyre set in motion. I just want to mention the last thing. There are lessons to be learned from what happened, the tragedy in brussels, lessons for people who live there, people who live in belgium, who live in the e. U. , other places as well. And there are lessons for us to learn, too. And for us, the need to do a, to better understand what happened there and figure out what can we do to help deter attacks, not just here in this country, but to help them better defend their own people and their own places. Thanks so much. Ron johnson thanks, senator carper. I would ask consent to my Opening Statement being entered into the record. Without objection, so ordered. It is a tradition of this committee to swear in witnesses, so if youll all stand and raise your right hand. Do you swear the testimony you will give before this committee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you, god . Please be seated. Our first witness is mr. Juan zarate. Mr. Zarate is the chairman of the financial integrity network, chairman of the center on sanctions and illicit finance for the foundation for defense of democracies, Senior Adviser for the center for Strategic International studies, and Senior National security analyst for cbs news. Mr. Zarate. Juan Carlos Zarate chairman johnson, thank you very much for that introduction. Ranking member carper and distinguished members of this committee, thank you for inviting me to testify today. Im honored to be here with my fellow panelists, to discuss the current terrorist threat environment in europe and security implications for the United States. In the wake of the horrific attacks in brussels and paris, this is a critical moment to take stock of what i consider to be the quickening terrorist threat and adaptation spurred by the Islamic State of iraq and syria, along with the continued threat from, and intent by al qaeda and its affiliates to hit the west. The rise and reach of isis have continued to outpace expectations and surprise authorities. Dangerously failing to understand and anticipate isiss intent and capabilities have led to some misguided assumptions that have now been shattered in the wake of the recent attacks in europe. Isis has intended to confront the west. It has used western operatives flowing into the conflict zone by the thousands, and has attempted to inspire singular attacks by sympathetic radicals in western societies. It has built these capabilities over time, and taken advantage of intelligence and security gaps to implant operatives in europe. This should not have come as a surprise. Over two years ago, my colleague at csis, tom sanderson, witnessed parts of the foreign fighter pipeline when he visited a shabby cafe at a turkishsyrian border crossing. This was a final stop for those slipping into syria to join terrorist groups. Passports were for sale, and such fighters could exchange their passports for cash. At that time, a belgian passport was for sale for 8,000. A buyer could have it altered, and new passport photos were being snapped in the parking lot. European authorities are now coming to grips with the realization that isis is targeting the heart of europe with dozens of operatives. But unfortunately, europe suffers from 3 fundamental and interrelated terrorist problems. First, there is the immediate threat of isis european networks. Isis has trained and deployed europeans back into the heart of the europe to perpetrate sophisticated attacks. Second, isis and al qaeda have taken advantage of longstanding radicalized networks in europe as a baseline for recruitment and plotting in the heart of europe, relying on a lineage of radical islamic terrorism to tap into criminal, prison, and other radical networks for their purposes. Third, europe suffers from longstanding deep pockets of radicalization affecting their nationals and embedded in particular communities and neighborhoods. Throughout europe, such nodes of radicalization have served as microsafe havens and they persist in particular prisons, universities, and apartment blocks. Now, isis has been able to take advantage of the weaknesses and seams in the european system. Even the best authorities in europe are overwhelmed by the number of new and historical terrorists and radicalized individuals for whom they need to account. Fortunately, the United States has not faced the same kinds of threats from isis and al qaeda that europe does, but these threats are real for u. S. Citizens and interests abroad and in the homeland. Let me just describe them quickly. The most immediate threats to the United States are to our citizens and interests and europe. Isis would like to target americans wherever possible. The visafree travel for europeans and others creates a gap that could allow an isis or an al qaeda operative into the country unknowingly. The lack of information and realtime information sharing are major impediments to western security. The United States also has to be concerned about the demonstration effects of successful or attempted terrorist attacks, especially in the west. And new technologies and methodologies could spur innovation in how terrorists and operatives operate in the United States, to include new technologies that allow lone wolves to act as packs to attack here in the homeland. And finally, the most strategic impact of the european threat, perhaps, is whether it ultimately weakens or strengthens european resolve and capabilities to counter the terrorist threat from isis and al qaeda, and the radicalized citizens from within. We need a strong europe, and we need to Work Together with them. Were facing a common enemy, and were all at war together. The u. S. Must, therefore, work closely with its European Partners to enable, support, and lead where necessary, and to disrupt isis and al qaeda safe havens, gather and share intelligence, disrupt terrorist networks and plots, and continue to build layers of defense with our western partners. In the wake of the terrorist attacks in brussels, this is an important moment to reflect on our counterterrorism capabilities. We need to do this in concert with our European Partners. And we should never underestimate the ability of our terrorist adversaries to innovate and to adapt, especially when they have time and space to plot and to plan. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Ron johnson thank you, mr. Zarate. Our next witness is ms. Julie smith. Ms. Smith is the senior fellow and director of the strategy and Statecraft Program at the center for a new american security. Previously, she served as the deputy National Security adviser to the vicepresident. With her, before her post at the white house, she served as the principal director for european and nato policy in the office of the secretary of defense in the pentagon. Ms. Smith. Julianne smith thank you, chairman johnson, Ranking Member, oh. Sorry. Thank you, chairman johnson, Ranking Member carper, and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify this morning. Its an honor to be here. The brussels attacks revealed a number of worrisome trends and policy gaps inside belgium, across europe, and among the transatlantic partners. Any successful strategy moving forward is going to require changes in all 3 of those categories. And i want to take each of them one by one over the course of the next few minutes. Let me start with belgium. The attacks, as juan pointed out, have confirmed what experts have been stating for years, and that is that belgium has one of the largest homegrown extremist problems in the west. Five hundred belgians have travelled to iraq and syria in recent years, and 20 of those individuals now have returned to european soil with sophisticated training and unknown intentions. The brussels and the paris attacks also revealed a number of intelligence and Law Enforcement shortfalls and failures. These are primarily rooted in part in incompetence, but also crippling budgetary constraints and severe personnel shortages. Belgian, belgium also has not had a functioning federal system for some time now, so its ability to uncover and dismantle Jihadist Networks has been severely hampered. In terms of wider europe, of course, belgium is not facing this challenge alone. Preventing the radicalization of muslim minorities across europe has become a priority for a number of European Countries over the years, but the tools with which National Capitals can actually counter radicalization or slow recruitment, or arrest terrorist operatives, has suffered from a chronic lack of investment over the years. Europes most glaring problem, though, is its inability to share information among its Member States. And here, this was highlighted by the fact that one of the 3 bombers in the brussels attacks was someone that turkey had actually warned the belgians about in advance, as they were deporting him to the netherlands. Unfortunately, and rather tragically, that information was not followed up on, and it was certainly not disseminated across the european continent. From a transatlantic perspective, we also need to strengthen our transatlantic cooperation with the e. U. And European Countries. Weve done a lot since 9 11. Weve done a lot to ensure that we can halt terrorist financing. Weve worked together to enhance our intelligence sharing. Weve worked to safeguard border controls, but serious gaps remain. Most notably, the primary obstacle here is differences that we have over privacy, data sharing, data privacy. These concerns obviously were more pronounced after the 2013 revelations that the nsa had been tracking a number of world leaders, most notably chancellor merkel. And these differences have hampered the e. U. Wide implementation of the passenger name recognition system, which would enable us to enhance our intelligence sharing. Going forward, obviously belgium is going to have to make a lot of changes. Europe as well, but we also have to focus on the transatlantic relationship. From a belgian perspective, theyre going to have to undertake a complete audit of their security procedures. Theyre going to have to overhaul their surveillance laws. I think they need to review security staff at m