McCaul: Ottawa shooting ‘reminder’ of homegrown terrorism threat

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said Thursday that the shooting at Canada’s parliament building was a “reminder” of the threat of homegrown terrorism.

“The attack in Ottawa is yet another reminder that homegrown terrorism is a real threat not only to our country but to our allies as well,” McCaul said. “Whether these individuals train in Syria or Iraq and then return home, or are inspired and recruited over the Internet while in their basements, their danger to society is the same.”

{mosads}On Wednesday, an alleged gunman, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, shot and killed a soldier guarding the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Canada. Afterward, he entered the Canadian parliament and opened fire. Zehaf-Bibeau had a history of criminal charges and had recently converted to Islam.

After the attack, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper pledged to intensify the country’s efforts against “terrorist organizations.”