Reed Suggests Immediate Actions to Continue Fight Against Terror

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Citing the recent failed terror attack on an American plane bound for Detroit as a "wake up call reminder," Tom Reed today urged President Obama and Congress need to admit and remember that we are engaged in an active, deadly struggle with an international terror organization that seeks the destruction of the United States.

Reed suggested five immediate actions that the Obama Administration and Congress can take to continue the fight against terror:

1) Extend the Patriot Act for a minimum of two more years. On Dec. 16, Congress extended the Patriot Act for a mere 60 days. The provisions of the Patriot Act, put into place following the attacks on Americans on 9/11/2001, have been valuable in helping various U.S. agencies track potential terrorist threats.

2) Change the plans to bring the surviving 9/11 terrorists to New York City. A federal prison, such as Fort Leavenworth, would provide a much more secure and cost effective venue for any legal proceedings.

3) Keep the enemy combatant detention center at Guantanamo Bay open indefinitely. Returning more than 100 terrorists to Yemen to rejoin the fight against Americans is irresponsible and unacceptable.

4) Examine and emulate Israel’s multi-stage air passenger screening system, which has been very successful at preventing airplane-based attacks in one of the most volatile regions of the world.

5) Continue diplomatic and military efforts in support of struggling democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq to deny the Taliban and Al Qaeda a base from which to launch future attacks on the U.S. or our allies. Continue aggressive vigilance in dealing with nations which breed terror such as Iran, Syria, Libya, and Yemen and organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah which destabilize the democracy in Lebanon and areas under Palestinian control.

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