The threat of a terrorist attack in the United States is as high as since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, in part because of the recruitment of US citizens to carry out plots, US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday, dpa reported.
"There's no question that we have made many important strides in securing our country from terrorism since 9/11," Napolitano said. "But the threat continues to evolve, and in some ways the threat today may be at its most heightened state since the attacks nearly 10 years ago."
Despite diminished capabilities of the core of al-Qaeda, there are more emerging threats from groups that share Osama bin Laden's ideology but are only loosely affiliated with his terrorist network, she said.
"Among these groups, we are also seeing an increased emphasis on recruiting Americans and Westerners to carry out attacks," Napolitano said.
In the last two years, 50 of the 126 people indicted in the United States on terrorism-related charges have been US citizens.