Security Investigations into Network Smuggling ISIS Members into America
Shafaq News/ FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed "deep concerns" regarding a human smuggling network believed to have ties to ISIS terrorists, which exploits the southern border as a gateway into the United States.
During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Wray confirmed the potential threat and noted that the FBI, along with other federal agencies, has been diligently investigating this human trafficking operation.
"So, I want to be a little bit careful how far I can go in open session, but there is a particular network that, where some of the overseas facilitators of the smuggling network have ISIS ties that we're very concerned about and that we've been spending enormous amount of effort with our partners investigating," he said.
Wray cautioned against revealing too much in an open session but disclosed that the FBI is particularly focused on a network with overseas facilitators linked to ISIS. He emphasized the significant effort dedicated to probing this network's activities in collaboration with partner agencies.
"Exactly what that network is up to is something that's, again, the subject of our current investigation," he added.
Last August, CNN reported on an FBI investigation into whether a Turkish smuggler with connections to ISIS had assisted dozens of asylum-seekers from Uzbekistan in reaching the US-Mexico border.
Wray highlighted this incident as a concerning threat and assured lawmakers that the FBI, in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is actively investigating both the individuals whose travel was facilitated and the members of the facilitation network abroad.
"That’s a threat stream that we’re very concerned about,” Wray told lawmakers about the incident when asked by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).
In response to Senator John Cornyn's inquiry about the possibility of terrorists among the approximately 1.8 million "gotaways" who illegally entered the US without detection by border agents during the Biden administration, Wray acknowledged the likelihood.
“We’re very actively investigating, working with DHS on both people whose travel was facilitated but also members of the facilitation network in some other way overseas,” he added. “There’s probably more I could share on that in closed session if you would like.”
He pointed out that the national security implications of border issues are often underscored by what remains unknown about individuals who enter the country undetected or with fraudulent documents, making it challenging to connect the dots regarding their backgrounds and intentions.
