Rubio Says Terrorist Attacks Have Declined but Threat Remains

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said terrorist attacks in the United States have declined significantly as a result of successful counterterrorism efforts, while warning that the threat has not been eliminated. Speaking at a ministerial meeting on counterterrorism in Washington, Rubio said the US has made substantial progress in reducing the risk of terrorist violence.

Rubio noted that terrorist attacks were far more frequent during the height of the Daesh (ISIS) insurgency, adding that effective counterterrorism strategies have reduced such attacks by nearly two-thirds. He also said terrorist attacks in Europe have fallen by as much as 97 percent compared with previous years.

Despite the progress, Rubio cautioned that the threat of terrorism persists and argued that weaknesses in immigration systems continue to pose security risks. He said that as long as immigration systems allow potential threats to enter a country, the danger of terrorism will remain a concern requiring continued vigilance.