The Lights Are Still Blinking Red

You've Been Warned

The Current Leader of Al Qaeda, who is likely in Iran

Last summer, I warned that there would likely be an Islamic State-style attack on the homeland. As predicted, on New Year's Day, a former American soldier who had deployed to Afghanistan carried out a well-planned and executed terrorist attack that killed 12 Americans on Bourbon Street. While the FBI continues to assert that the New Year’s Day bomber acted alone, he displayed surveillance and counter-surveillance tradecraft befitting of a seasoned, well-trained operative.

Also, as predicted, that disturbing attack has quickly faded from the American consciousness. With Ukraine and Israel at the forefront, it’s easy to overlook America’s “forever war.” Nevertheless, radical Islamic terrorists remain determined to strike domestically and abroad over the coming year.

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They’re Still Coming For Us

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visits the Bourbon Street memorial in New Orleans, Louisiana, Feb. 3, 2025. (DHS photo by Tia Dufour)

Less than a few months after the Bourbon Street attack, American law enforcement officials arrested two individuals in Minneapolis and Brooklyn. Both men were detained for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State. While the Federal Bureau of Investigation, led by Kash Patel, is being "re-structured” and the “deep state” is being dismantled, who on earth will focus on domestic terrorism surveillance?

Relatedly, over the weekend, the Trump administration removed the bounty of Sirajuddin Haqqani, along with two other members of his family. Haqqani, whose father had deep and lifelong ties to Usama Bin Laden, was a specially designated global terrorist due to his role in killing 70,000 Afghan soldiers, over 1,000 European allies, and over 2,000 American soldiers.

As always, Zalmay Khalilzad, D.C.’s favorite Afghan, has reemerged to betray his fellow countrymen. Khalilzad has a long history of corruption allegations and has served nearly every American administration since President George Bush. Despite his extensive record of failure and treachery (see: Doha Agreement), President Trump recently flew him to Kabul to secure an American hostage. While this exchange is a godsend for the hostage’s family, it further emboldens a gender-apartheid regime that continues to hunt and kill our vetted Afghan allies.

In Syria, as predicted, Jolani has not turned out to be the pragmatist that President Biden believed. Instead, Jolani’s “interim government” has been fighting it out with a new Assad-inspired insurgency, resulting in scores of humanitarian atrocities against all warring factions. While Jolani may look presentable in a new suit and haircut, he’s still a former Al Qaeda commander who murdered thousands of American and Iraqi soldiers. Therefore, the Trump administration doubles down on Biden's mistakes by treating Jolani as a legitimate statesman.

In Iran, the Trump administration continues its onslaught against the Houthis despite SIGNAL-gate. As Trump reinforces the region with another aircraft carrier while Gaza is aflame, Iran might attempt to ease tensions as it tends to its wounds—or it could orchestrate another presidential assassination gambit or a strike against a foreign embassy at home. Furthermore, Iran still maintains active ties to Al Qaeda and is likely concealing its purported leader, Saif al-Adl.

While Afghanistan, Syria, and Iran are distinctive countries with their own languages and cultures, they all share one thing in common: they’re run by genocidal terrorists who are hell-bent on attacking Americans. Unless President Trump plans on reversing course in Syria and Afghanistan, he will have given Al Qaeda time and space to plot an even more spectacular terrorist attack.

In short, the lights are still blinking red.