The Threat to the U.S. Homeland Emanating from Pakistan

The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2 p.m., in Room 311, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Patrick Meehan [Chairman of the subcommittee] presiding. Present: Representatives Meehan, Cravaack, Quayle, Rigell, Long, Marino, King (ex officio), Speier, Sanchez, Cuellar, and Higgins. Mr. MEEHAN. The Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence will come to order. The subcommittee today is meeting to hear testimony about the threat to the U.S. homeland emanating from Pakistan. Let me take a moment to make an opening statement. I would like to welcome everybody to today’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence hearing. I look forward to hearing from the witnesses on the on-going danger emanating from Pakistan to the United States and the intent and capability of the various terrorist organizations operating in Pakistan to strike the U.S. homeland. At the outset I want to let everyone know that today’s hearing will be interrupted at 3 p.m. due to a classified briefing from CIA Director Panetta, NCTC Director Leiter, Vice Chairman Cartwright and Deputy Secretary Steinberg. I ask patience from our witnesses and thank you ahead of time to the extent you are able to accommodate this. Today’s hearing is the third hearing the subcommittee has held, and it is aimed at educating Members about the myriad terrorist threats to the homeland from various parts of the world. So far we have heard from experts on the threat posed by AQAP in Yemen and the ramifications of unrest in the Middle East and North Africa on U.S. counterterrorism efforts. Today’s hearing also comes at a historic moment in the global war on terrorism. In the last 48 hours, and at the direction of President Obama, and as a result of the incredible work of the U.S. military, the intelligence community, and law enforcement, al-Qaeda leader and 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces deep inside Pakistan