There was an attack in London today that is being investigated to determine whether it was terrorism. Several were killed by a car that rammed into pedestrians and a policeman was stabbed. Former FBI Agent John Iannarelli will talk about whether the attack had the earmarks of being carried out by terrorists.
TED SIMONS: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON. AN ATTACK IN LONDON TODAY RESULTED IN FIVE DEATHS AND DOZENS OF INJURIES. REPORTS SAY THAT AN ARMED SUSPECT TRIED TO STORM THE PARLIAMENT BUILDING AFTER RAMMING INTO PEDESTRIANS ON THE NEARBY WESTMINSTER BRIDGE. THE ASSAILANT WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE. JOINING US NOW TO DISCUSS WHAT IS BEING INVESTIGATED AS A TERRORISM INCIDENT, IS FORMER FBI AGENT JOHN IANNARELLI.
JOHN IANNARELLI: GOOD TO SEE YOU.
TED SIMONS: HAVE OUR GO TO GUY, YOU REALLY WROTE THE BOOK HOW TO SPOT A TERRORIST. BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, IS THAT PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR ABOUT THIS SITUATION? FIVE DEAD, DOZENS INJURED AND ONE LONE PERSON?
JOHN IANNARELLI: THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING SO FAR. IT LOOKS LIKE A TEXTBOOK, LONE-WOLF ATTACK. AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS INSPIRED TO COMMIT SOME TYPE OF JIHAD, GOES OUT AND INFLICTS THIS KIND OF HARM, WHICH IS EASY TO DO IF YOU'RE SO MOTIVATED.
TED SIMONS: NOW, THIS WAS ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF A SUICIDE ATTACK IN BRUSSELS. WAS IT COINCIDENCE?
JOHN IANNARELLI: ABSOLUTELY A CONNECTION. I THINK PEOPLE HONOR THESE DATES IN THIS CULTURE. IT'S A HOLY DAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF BELGIUM. IT IS ALSO A HOLY DAY FOR THE TERRORISTS THAT WANT TO COMMIT THESE ATTACKS.
TED SIMONS: ARE WE CERTAIN THOUGH RIGHT NOW THAT IT'S TERRORISM RELATED?
JOHN IANNARELLI: BASED ON EVERYTHING I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY 20 YEARS CAREER, THIS IS TEXTBOOK TERRORISM. IT'S ACTUAL RIGHT OUT OF THE PLAY BOOK FOR AL QAEDA AND ISIS. THEY PRESCRIBE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GUN, USE YOUR CAR, WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH YOUR CAR, USE YOUR KNIFE. BOTH OF THOSE THINGS HAPPENED TODAY. CLEARLY THIS IS SOMEONE THAT'S MOTIVATED IN THAT VEIN.
TED SIMONS: SO IMPROVISED WEAPONS IS PART OF THAT PLAN.
JOHN IANNARELLI: YES. THAT IS THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS VERY HARD TO STOP. IT'S LONDON, EVERYONE'S DRIVING A CAR.
TED SIMONS: TEXTBOOK ALSO IN TERMS OF A SOFT TARGET?
JOHN IANNARELLI: WELL, THAT CERTAINLY IS NOT A SOFT TARGET WHEN YOU HAVE THE PARLIAMENT, BUT BRIDGE, THE PEDESTRIANS, PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH THERE. THAT'S WHAT THEY LOOK FOR TO INFLICT THAT KIND OF DEVASTATION.
TED SIMONS: IS ISIS-- I MEAN, IT'S LONG BEEN A DEATH CULT. I'M SORRY, THAT'S JUST WHAT IT IS. IS IT TURNING INTO A REPOSITORY FOR HOMICIDAL MANIACS? I MEAN, DOES ANYONE WITH A DEATH WISH AND A COUPLE OF SCREWS LOOSE, GO OUT AND COMMIT THIS AND SAY, "ALRIGHT, I'M WITH ISIS."?
JOHN IANNARELLI: WELL, IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE PREREQUISITES ON THE APPLICATION BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT MAKES THEM ALL THE MORE DANGEROUS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE SERIOUS. LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TODAY. WE'VE SEEN THIS OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING BELGIUM. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THIS SORT OF TERRORISM IS GOING TO BE WITH US FOR A LONG TIME TO COME. WE NEED TO BE PREPARED NOT JUST IN OUR MILITARY AND POLICE BUT CITIZENS NEED TO BE OBSERVANT.
TED SIMONS: WHAT DO YOU DO? WERE THERE SIGNS HERE? HOW DO STOP OR DO YOU STOP SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
JOHN IANNARELLI: I THINK YOU CAN ONE OF PURPOSES OF MY WRITING THIS BOOK IS THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY SAYS IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. NO ONE REALLY TALKED ABOUT WHAT SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR? THERE'S INDICATORS. LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS KNOWN THIS FOREVER. WHILE PEOPLE USE THE WORD PROFILING. I GUARANTEE YOU THIS PERSON HAS TALKED TO OTHERS ABOUT HIS BELIEFS. HE'S PROBABLY A LITTLE OUT ON THE EDGE BUT NOBODY WANTED TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY ANYTHING. HE MAY HAVE PUT THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL BE SCANNING THIS TO TRY TO SEE WHAT HE WAS DOING LEADING UP TO THIS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY ARE THERE OTHERS THAT PERSCRIBE TO THIS SAME TYPE OF METHOD?
TED SIMONS: AS WELL AS WAS HE ON ANY LISTS? I WOULD IMAGINE IF HE WERE ON A LIST OF SOME KIND THAT LIST NEEDS A BETTER FOCUS.
JOHN IANNARELLI: WELL, HE MAY BE ON SOME KIND OF LIST; BUT ALSO, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THOSE LISTS. THERE ARE MORE OF THESE GUYS THAN YOU'RE EVER GOING TO MAKE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. THAT IS WHY THEY CAN'T DO IT BY THEMSELVES. THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE ALERT. UNFORTUNATELY WHAT HAPPENED TODAY, YOU HAD A POLICE OFFICER WHO UNFORTUNATELY LOST HIS LIFE. BUT LITERALLY GAVE HIS LIFE TRYING TO PROTECT OTHERWISE. FARTHEST FAST ACT POLICE. THEY BROUGHT THIS TO AN END QUICKLY. A LOT MORE DAMAGE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE.
TED SIMONS: THESE LONE WOLVES-- IT SOUNDS LIKE-- AGAIN I'M GOING BACK TO MY THEORY THEY ARE ALL ABSOLUTELY NUTS. ARE THEY DOING THIS ON THEIR OWN AND THINKING THEY'RE GETTING THE APPROVAL?
JOHN IANNARELLI: AL QAEDA ISIS ARE SPECIFICALLY GOING ONLINE AND TELLING PEOPLE WHAT TO DO. THEY GIVE TIPS ON HOW TO BUILD BOMBS. THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT AL QAEDA, ISIS AND GOD WANTS THEM TO DO. OF COURSE THEY'RE GROSSLY MISTAKEN.
TED SIMONS: AND THE BEST WAY TO STOP THEM FROM WHERE YOU SIT.
JOHN IANNARELLI: IF YOU HAVE AN INKLING, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, WHETHER IT'S ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WORDS, CONTACT THE AUTHORITIES. THE AUTHORITIES ARE NOT GOING TO RUN OUT AND ACCUSE SOMEBODY OF A CRIME. THEY'RE GOING TO DO A SYSTEMIC ANALYSIS. IF THERE'S SOMETHING THERE, YOU PROBABLY STOPPED THE PROBLEM. IF THERE'S NOTHING THERE, NO HARM, NO FOUL.
TED SIMONS: JOHN, THANK YOU.
Former FBI Agent John Iannarelli
