General Says Terrorists In ‘Daily’ Refugee Flow To Europe

Violent extremists, criminals and foreign fighters are part of the daily refugee flow into Europe, the top NATO commander in Europe told lawmakers, “masking the movement” of these dangerous elements and heightening the potential for an attack.

 

In testimony Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove said the Islamic State is “spreading like a cancer” within this mix, “taking advantage of paths of least resistance, threatening European nations” and the United States.

 

Breedlove later told reporters that he has asked for more U.S. forces to be permanently based in Europe, which is facing threats from a more aggressive Russia as well as the Islamic State group.

 

He provided no details in his first public comments on the request, but a senior U.S. official said Breedlove has asked for more Army troops that could be ready to respond quickly to any crisis or military need. The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and requested anonymity, would not say how many troops Breedlove had requested.

 

Read More: News from The Associated Press