Hoekstra: Suspicious Packages From Yemen "Disturbing"

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, issued the following statement relating to reports today regarding suspicious packages tied to Yemen.

“The facts are still coming in, but the discovery of suspicious packages in the United Kingdom and Dubai reported to originate in Yemen and bound for the United States is extremely disturbing and only reinforces the continued serious nature of the threats that are being posed both directly and indirectly to the United States.

“In the past few days, we have also had two serious incidents in Hawaii and Virginia of home-grown terrorists who may have been inspired from Yemen by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, just like the tragic attack on American soldiers at Fort Hood. Al-Qaeda in Yemen has used the internet to release vicious propaganda that is attempting to radicalize Americans and incite the murder of Americans by Americans. And now, explosive packages reportedly have been sent from Yemen to synagogues in the United States, another clear sign of religious intolerance and hatred by the jihadists.

“We can’t minimize the nature of these threats or wish them away. The serious nature of this week’s incidents only underscores how critical it is to actively confront the threat at all of its sources. We must redouble our efforts to do so immediately or we will certainly pay even more serious consequences in the future.”