Eric Holder: Homegrown Terror Threat Is Cause For Concern (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON - Attorney General Eric Holder says he's worried about terrorist attacks on the U.S. by Americans. And high on his list of concerns is the threat posed by anti-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen believed to be hiding in Yemen.

Holder says al-Awlaki has a familiarity with the U.S. that terrorists usually lack. He says he puts him on the list of people who worry him the most, along with al-Qaida head Osama bin Laden, but adds, "Whether he's one, two, three, four, I don't know."

In an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America," Holder said the terrorism threat is real and constant. He says he's concerned that the authorities may have missed a signal that an attack is coming.

He says Americans have to be prepared for "potentially bad news."

During the appearance, Holder also addressed subjects such as Wikileaks and Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

WATCH:

Comments

[AZreb]

08:27 AM on 12/22/2010

In every war since WWII (yes, I remember that one well) we have had those in our own country who were once called "spies" for the other side - now they are called "terrorists". Some of those were a physical and not merely psychological danger to our country, but we were not "terrorized".

It seems that our government has for years, and continuing to this day, ruled us by fear. Those who live in fear do not rebel, do not question, do not think independently - we accept any and all restrictions on our liberties and civil rights as being justified by the fear of "terrorism".

It was duct tape and plastic sheeting - now it is building atomic bomb shelters in your back yard. It is pat-downs or body scanners - it is wire-tapping and secret warrants.

If our government has such wonderful departments such as DHS, DoJ, State and others who are there to protect us and they are doing such a wonderful job, then why is the government still using fear tactics to instill mindless subservience to its orders?

[SmolderingRuin]

04:50 PM on 12/23/2010

Because it works.

[duxguts]

01:26 AM on 12/22/2010

And tell me Mr. Holder, are the people on Wall Street who almost brought the country to it's knees and caused millions to lose their jobs and homes of any concern to you?

[Justin Werner]

08:59 PM on 12/21/2010

This sounds like more irresponsible fear-mongering. Do we not have a DHS and an FBI who already monitor internal perceived threats and who have beaucoup resources with which to do their work (said resources including ever-increasing powers to ignore Constitution-guaranteed rights)? What are you really getting at here, except I want some attention on *me* *me* *me*?

Y'know, I'm pretty much "terrorized" out at this point. Yes, something bad will happen. I don't have enough years left in my life to live at the fever pitch of fear all these people would like me to have, just so they can herd me this way or that. Enough.

[naschkatze]

12:46 AM on 12/22/2010

I wonder if the cases in Portland and Chicago are not part of this little song and dance.

[max08]

01:33 AM on 12/22/2010

There was more terrorism in the 1970s than there is now.

[SmolderingRuin]

07:53 PM on 12/21/2010

Thank you. My faith in HP is somewhat restored.

[naschkatze]

12:47 AM on 12/22/2010

Jeez, and I get accused of being cryptic sometimes.

[SmolderingRuin]

07:22 PM on 12/21/2010

You have twice refused to post this link, which is on the subject, and which links TO YOUR OWN ARCHIVED ARTICLE. Why would you do that, HP?

Lawyer for Chiquita in Colombia Death Squad Case May be Next U.S. Attorney General

http://www­.huffingto­npost.com/­dan-kovali­k/lawyer-f­or-chiquit­a-in-co_b_­141919.htm­l

FTA:...."Do not expect these recommenda­tions to be carried forward if Eric Holder decides to forgo his lucrative corporate law practice at Covington & Burling and accept the U.S. Attorney General position for which many believe he is the top contendor. Eric Holder would have a troubling conflict of interest in carrying out this work in light of his current work as defense lawyer for Chiquita Brands internatio­nal in a case in which Colombian plaintiffs seek damages for the murders carried out by the AUC paramilita­ries - a designated terrorist organizati­on."

[Randy Wetzel]

07:01 PM on 12/21/2010

Homegrown terro-rism is an issue? Well you can start with pretty close to 95% of our ruling class in DC. Then there's a good chunk of the 32% of the country who are Republican­s, they tend to extre-me in their ign-orance­. Then there's Wallstreet and the Banks (they are a form of terro-rism now). Thats the short list of what we need to really worry about but then again, you are a pick and chose AG, so what we want doesn't really matter.

[Randy Wetzel]

07:00 PM on 12/21/2010

Homegrown terrorism is an issue? Well you can start with pretty close to 95% of our ruling class in DC. Then there's a good chunk of the 32% of the country who are Republicans, they tend to extreme in their ign-orance. Then there's Wallstreet and the Banks (they are a form of terrorism now). Thats the hsort list of what we need to really worry about but then again, you are a pick and chose AG, so what we want doesn't really matter.

[PoliSciJunkie]

04:20 PM on 12/21/2010

Most of the homegrown terrorists are white men and anything but Islamic. Holder often appears bumbling and behind the curve. The largest threat to national security may not be terrorists foreign or domestic, but the seeming increasingly fascist Department of Homeland Security. Watch their quiet actions and feel the alarms which should be sounding at their encroachment, if not outright predation, on civil rights.

[blueskybigstar]

05:48 PM on 12/21/2010

fannned

[SmolderingRuin]

07:57 PM on 12/21/2010

Double fanned.

[totaldisbelief]

06:33 PM on 12/21/2010

hear hear

[Pod-gers]

04:17 PM on 12/21/2010

Why do they hate us so? Oh, wait! Does this mean we have our very own insurgency?

Gallop poll ignored by HP finds that 83% of Americans nhappy with elected officials, and 81% unhappy and have no hope!

Go ahead and charge Julian or WikiLeaks, and watch the blowback!
ATTENTION: this is not a threat, this is an opinion!

[GuiltD]

04:14 PM on 12/21/2010

This is a mega propaganda peice.

[blueskybigstar]

05:48 PM on 12/21/2010

That is an understatement.

[GuiltD]

04:13 PM on 12/21/2010

Eric Holder is doing doublethink when talking about Anwar because he is withholding important information

[daveFLA]

06:54 PM on 12/21/2010

That's what I thought too. If you're the scariest guy to the attorney general; Holder knows something we don't.

[releafer]

04:12 PM on 12/21/2010

Whenever this holder of bad news speaks I feel more limited.....beat down......ignored....and hope we could replace him with someone that trust anybody.....!

[GuiltD]

04:11 PM on 12/21/2010

I love living under the Cheney administration! oops the Biden adm...oops Obama

[seawillow]

03:58 PM on 12/21/2010

Hey! Mr. Holder! Get with the program - there is no need to use Islamic examples!

[tbone99]

04:26 PM on 12/21/2010

Thats right -Wall St has destroyed far more lives and ensured much more misery . you could say they have utterly transformed the nation to a third world country

[blueskybigstar]

03:52 PM on 12/21/2010

Eric Holder has been obstructing justice since he took this job. He should be removed. The corruption of the last eight years of the Bush Administration has done more damage to our country and to the world than any terrorists. We need to send a message to Obama. According to financial expert William K. Black who has an article currently on this site, "mass corruption" is the reason for all our financial ills. It is up to the AG to take care of this. Again and again, for every single case that has to do with a higher up, he lets them off easy. It makes me very sad to say this.