“Charlie Hebdo” Massacre Sparks Worries of Copycat Attack Inside US
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Antonprado/iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The deadly terror strike in Paris has awakened worries that such a brazen event could be repeated in the United States.
“It confirms some of our greatest fears that these attacks are likely to happen first in Europe and then quite possibly over here,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, told ABC News.
Although there are no credible threats inside the country in the aftermath of Wednesday’s attack on the office of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, killing 12, police in several major U.S. cities are stepping up security at French installations.
In addition, the FBI and Homeland Security officials are planning to hold a special conference call with the nation’s top police chiefs to update them about how the attack in Paris was conducted, what weapons were used and guidance about the suspects.
The warnings come as Congress will begin debating the Homeland Security budget and the funding of immigration programs.
Administration officials say the attack in France is a wakeup call and homeland security funding should not be threatened by a political fight over immigration. New Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R- Ky., dismissed any concern, but offered a terse and telling statement: “At the end of the day, we’re going to fund the department, obviously.”
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