2017 TERROR FORECAST FOR USA, EUROPE ‘ALARMING,’ SAYS HOUSE REPORT:

The USA and European terror forecast for 2017 'looks alarming,' in part because of increased pressure on ISIS and other terror groups on their home turf, according to a monthly assessment by House lawmakers. Officials predicted necessary efforts to crush foreign terror groups could actually spur more attacks on Western soil. Coming attacks in the USA and Europe could be carried out by lone wolves as well as homegrown terrorists who return from fighting in such places as Iraq, Syria and Somalia. "I am very encouraged that the Trump administration is preparing to put greater pressure on jihadists in their safe havens throughout the world,” said House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul. "But as they do, we can expect to see militants [terrorists] returning to the West to build new networks and to plot more deadly operations.” The report is based on information gleaned from the media, publicly available government data and documents and nongovernmental assessments. Since the beginning of 2016, there have been plots or attacks by 39 homegrown jihadists in 19 USA states. Two instances occurred on American soil last month: The attack at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport carried out in the first week of 2017 by Esteban Santiago, radicalized by ISIS videos, and the 31 Jan. murder of a Denver Regional Transportation District contract security officer by a suspect carrying jihadist material in his backpack. The report also cites numerous incidents in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. (Fox)