Acting Quote by Tom Ridge
“Remember back then we thought about al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and a few other places? well, we've seen al Qaeda metastasize. It is now a global scourge. And you have the ascendancy of ISIL. The combination of those two groups -- their appeal to the lone wolfs and we see them acting in Belgium and in France and in Canada and the United States so the threat factors and the nature of the threats are far more complicated and far more serious today than on September 12, 2001.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Counterterrorism Strategy, US Department of Homeland Security, 2005
The threat landscape has expanded from a few regional groups to a global network, including ISIL, making terrorism more complex and widespread.
In simple terms: Terrorism is now a worldwide problem, not just regional.
Recognize and address diverse, global terrorist threats.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- policy planning
- law enforcement training
- public awareness campaigns
- international cooperation
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can nations coordinate without infringing civil liberties?
- What strategies best disrupt lone‑wolf recruitment?
Efforts may be hampered by jurisdictional limits and resource constraints.