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Congressman Elton Gallegly Serving the 24th District of California |
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Contact:
Tom Pfeifer |
WASHINGTON, DC—First, I want to applaud the British intelligence agencies for uncovering the apparent plan by suicide bombers to blow up numerous commercial airliners flying from London to the United States and for arresting at least 21 suspected terrorists. Since 9/11 I have been saying the American people need to remain vigilant, that our enemies are ruthless and imaginative. Over the years I have voted for the Patriot Act and other measures to increase the U.S. intelligence and homeland security network. I authored several provisions of the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. I have supported those measures and many others because in today’s world it is important that our intelligence, homeland security and law enforcement officials have the tools and structure they need to track and disrupt our enemies. Some say Congress has gone too far. I believe we must err on protecting the people of the United States, that every life saved is precious. As today’s arrests demonstrate, we also must maintain a united front with our friends. Along with the State Department and other federal agencies, I have helped broaden the cooperation between the United States and our European allies in my dual roles as chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats and a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. This cooperation is crucial in combating the international threat. Today’s arrests do not mark the first attack our allies or the United States have disrupted. Although it is the most advanced publicly disclosed planned mass murder disrupted since 9/11, our enemies will try again. We will learn from this planned attack and make adjustments as need be. But so will our enemies. We are at war. And we must remain vigilant. |