56 Arrests in U.S. This Year Related to ISIS

The fact that there have been about 80 arrests in the United States related to ISIS support and involvement since 2014 just goes to show that terrorism can come from any angle, even from places we call home. It also shows the success ISIS has had in their recruiting through social media, as one would logically believe that no American citizen would even fathom the idea of becoming involved with such a heinous organization. Yet, here we find ourselves facing threats not just from the Middle East, but even from places we consider safe havens like our nation.

In looking at the study conducted at George Washington University, it is staggering that, “a demographic snapshot of the 71 individuals arrested on charges related to the Islamic State since March 2014, including 56 this year, emerged from a comprehensive review of social media accounts and legal documents of nearly 400 American sympathizers of the Islamic State,” and that, “the individuals range from hardened militants to teenage girls, petty criminals and college students.” With that in mind, I find it hard to believe that we should withhold the massive amount of Syrian refugees seeking freedom and safety due to a fear of ISIS involvement from entering the US, considering that there are already numerous US citizens involved with ISIS. Because ISIS has had success in recruiting support from such a diverse demographic, it becomes rather difficult to genuinely pinpoint a certain demographic that poses a large threat like Syria.

So, how does the United States now choose to proceed with this dilemma? How do we go about handling the ISIS situation when they have already established a presence in our Nation and asserted one of dominance in the Middle East? Personally, I can’t think of a solution that does not result in violence and the loss of many innocent civilians.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/02/us/politics/56-arrests-in-us-this-year-related-to-isis-study-says.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0