President Obama made a statement calling this incident “a credible terrorist threat against our country” that was directed against “two places of Jewish worship in Chicago.” He indicated that al Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen — al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula — is responsible.
The President elaborated that intelligence indicates AQAP continues to plot attacks against our homeland and our allies. He added that the government of Yemen had pledged its full cooperation. I’d note that, however genuine that pledge may be, it is not very reassuring in light of that government’s weakness and past performance. Indeed, President Obama acknowledged the need to strengthen and secure Yemen so that terrorists don’t have the time and space they need to plot and launch attacks.
President Obama had strong words of praise for U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials, indicating that they had been instrumental in thwarting this plot. He promised not to “waiver in our resolve to defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates, and root out violent extremism.”