The moderated discussion, titled “Home & Away: Threats to America and the DHS Response,” outlined Kelly’s perspectives on identifying priority threats, improving efficiency within the organization and reinforcing its core mission.
Throughout the discussion, Kelly discussed the threat from “sadistic radicals” and “people who hate us.”
“The threat to our nation and our American way of life has not diminished,” Kelly said. “In fact, the threat has metastasized and decentralized.”
"What's feeding the violence? Typically, what feeds the violence is the internet,” Kelly said. “From anywhere across the world, terrorist organizations are sharing hateful propaganda with impressionable people. They're publishing revolting how-to manuals, teaching their followers how to build bombs and kill innocent people."
He explained, “If you're a terrorist with an internet connection, like the one on your ever-present cell phone, you can recruit new soldiers, plan your attacks and upload a video calling for jihad with just a few clicks.”
Kelly elaborated that threats to the US are “more than bombs and guns” however, and warned that there are cyber threats from both lone wolves and state actors, saying “we are under constant attack by a wide range of adversaries with an even wider range of capabilities.”
