Excerpt
SUMMARY: Was the Islamic State group behind an attack on a drawing contest in Texas as it claims? Judy Woodruff talks to former Deputy National Security Advisor Juan Zarate about how terror groups like IS try to inspire others into homegrown attacks and the challenge facing American authorities to prevent them.
JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour): Separately, there is heightened security in New York City tonight, as the French satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo” receives an award from a writers group for courage and freedom of expression. Twelve people were killed in January when gunmen attacked the magazine for printing cartoons with the image of Mohammed.
To take a close look at threats here at home, we turn to Juan Zarate, former deputy national security adviser for combating terrorism under President George W. Bush.
Juan Zarate, welcome back to the program.
JUAN ZARATE, Former Deputy National Security Advisor: Thank you, Judy.
JUDY WOODRUFF: So, Islamic State claiming responsibility. Do you believe they are responsible?
JUAN ZARATE: Well, it depends on how you define responsibility, because it’s clear that the Islamic State is inspiring actors around the world to fly their banner and to attack, including in Western capitals.
The real question for counterterrorism authorities though is, are they actually directing these kinds of attacks, and is there evidence that they actually deployed these two individuals to attack? I think the working theory now is that this is more about inspiration than direction, but I think we will have to see how the facts play out and what the investigation brings.
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