Kerik: 'Credible Terror Threat on This Country, We Have to Be Prepared'
By Greg Richter | Wednesday, 30 Dec 2015 06:34 PM
Top law enforcement officials in America's major cities are saying there is "no credible threat" from terrorists as New Year's celebrations approach, but in reality, the entire country is under threat, former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik tells Newsmax TV.
The there is not only concern in New York City, but in the West in general, Kerik told "The Hard Line" guest host Dennis Michael Lynch on Wednesday.
"That threat is very credible. We've seen it in Paris. We saw it recently in San Bernardino. We see continual attacks around the world," Kerik said. "We're going to continue to see those types of attacks. There is a credible threat on this country' we have to be prepared."
New York City will have double the number of officers guarding Times Square this year than there were when he was last in office in 2001, just more than three months after the 9/11 attacks.
"Fifteen years ago, that turnout was 3,000 to 3,500. Today it's 6,000, maybe more," Kerik said. "[Police forces] have equipment that we never had before that we didn't have to use before. So they're far better prepared than they were in the past."
Still, he said, it isn't possible to prevent everything.
"On 9/11, look, we had planned for everything under the sun: biochemical in the subways, sarin gas, West Nile virus. Nobody ever anticipated that they'd fly these planes into the towers, but when they did, the response was already in place and that's the kind of stuff that we have in New York City in the event that something happens in the Square."
Kerik said Brussels must have had an "extremely credible" threat to have canceled its New Year's fireworks display. He said New York should not follow suit without a specific credible threat since it would make America hostage to the terrorists' wishes.
"Here's the reality: The bad guys want us to shut down Times Square, the bad guys want us not to do the fireworks and all this other stuff," he said. "The reality is if we live by their rules, we've got to hide in a bubble, and I'm not hiding in a bubble."
Kerik said much of the problem fighting Islamic terrorism on U.S. soil stems from political correctness at the leadership level. He noted that Tashfeen Malik, the female San Bernardino shooter who entered the United States through a fiancée visa "was supposed to be investigated by everybody under the sun. She still got in. She was an extreme radical, still got in."
FBI Director James Comey and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson both have said the United States doesn't have the ability to properly vet Middle East refugees, Kerick said.
"Then why are we bringing them in? Why is the White House allowing it?" he asked. "Why are members of Congress not fighting it to the hilt? "
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