Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) says more resources are needed to fight recruitment of individuals by radical organizations like ISIS and groups linked to al-Qaida. He says one of the big goals should be an anti-messaging campaign aimed at extremist groups.
"Developing a program, and it takes money to do so, to have outreach to communities, schools, law enforcement, clergy and anywhere else, to identify those people who seem open to radicalizing and to address those issues with those who are radicalizing, and that takes money. So we’re going to have to find some funds for that,” Katko said.
The congressman says the U.S. needs to compete with the message the terrorist groups are putting out to some youth.
"They have unfettered access to those who are disaffected in this country through the media, the digital media. And we’ve got to do the same thing, we’ve got to counter that message a bit better than we’ve been doing.”
Katko has been getting a close-up view of the issues involving extremist recruitment of Americans as co-chairman of the Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel. That group will be issuing a report in the fall on what needs to be done.
