'Great Concern' Over Terror Threat Ahead of July 4th Holiday, Congressman Says

Congressman says there is "great concern" among law enforcement ahead of July 4.

ByABC News
June 28, 2015, 3:15 PM

— -- On the heels of the terror attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait and France on Friday, Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said there is “great concern” among law enforcement over the current security environment in the U.S. heading into the July Fourth holiday weekend.

“There's great concern. I would say there's probably more concern now than any time since Sept. 11,” said King, chairman of the House Counterterrorism and Intelligence subcommittee, on “This Week” Sunday.

On Friday, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin to local law enforcement warning of heightened concern over the potential for an ISIS-inspired attack approaching July Fourth celebrations next weekend.

While the agencies said no specific or credible threat had yet been identified, King told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, “Generally, they don't put those statements out so far in advance unless there's reason for concern.”

King referenced Friday’s overseas attacks as a reason to believe the terror group ISIS is able to coordinate its followers in various countries.

While both the Pentagon and State Department said last week there was no reason to believe the three attacks this past week were coordinated, ISIS has since claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing in Kuwait as well as the beach attack in Tunisia.

“ISIS is incomparable as far as terrorist organizations as far as being able to reach,” King said on “This Week.” “They can reach the disaffected, they can reach the deranged, they can also reach the ideologically committed.”

When asked about a recent report in The New York Times citing a survey of law enforcement expressing significantly more concern over anti-government violence than al Qaeda-inspired attacks, King disagreed.

“Every murder is horrible, but there is no comparison between these white supremacists and an internationally coordinated movement,” King said. “That's The New York Times at its worst.”