CIA Veteran: Europe a ‘Launching Pad’ for ISIS to Attack the U.S.

Europe serves as a "launching pad" for ISIS jihadists to initiate attacks against the United States due to the absence of a cohesive information-sharing strategy among Western nations, former acting CIA director John McLaughlin said Wednesday.

McLaughlin, a 30-year CIA employee who served as acting director under the George W. Bush administration, warned that the absence of effective coordination between European intelligence agencies exposes the United States to greater risk of attack.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, McLaughlin said the Trump administration must work with European allies to establish an intelligence-sharing platform that coordinates Europe's extensive network of security services.

McLaughlin cautioned that the flood of foreign fighters returning to Europe could have a spillover effect in the United States because the region's security services are already "stretched to the limit." The influx is concerning because European passport holders are subjected to less scrutiny than others during entry into the United States.

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