Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced Sunday on CNN's State of the Union that a terrorist threat has been leveled against the Mall of America in Minnesota by an al Qaeda-linked group known as al-Shabaab.
The terrorist group, which claimed to be behind the 2013 attack on a Kenyan mall, released a video with specific threats to the Mall of America, as well as other locations in Canada and Britain.
An official statement from the mall was released Saturday informing the public that extra security measures have been put in place in response to the threat.
Johnson indicated that Homeland Security is taking the threat seriously but would not say if federal officers have been ordered to the mall. He also suggested that the public be vigilant and aware if they are planning a visit.
Referring to "See Something, Say Something," Johnson said, "Americans should still feel that they are free to associate, they are free to go to public gatherings, but it's critical that we have public awareness and public participation in our efforts." He added, "If anyone is planning to go to the Mall of America today, they've got to be particularly careful."
Johnson indicated that there is now "a new phase" of terrorism where groups are competing for attention in order to gain recruits and funding. The implication is that terror cells will successfully use the Internet to entice "independent actors" to carry out attacks wherever they are.
Johnson explained that Homeland Security's counter-terrorism efforts are now expanding into what he called a "whole government approach" and indicated that the recent summit on countering violent extremism is an important step in combatting terrorism.
"I've personally been to Minneapolis to meet with Islamic community leaders there, and so our law enforcement, Homeland Security engagements here at home, given how this terrorist threat has evolved, are becoming all the more important," Johnson said.
With the budget of Homeland Security hanging in the balance, Johnson used the appearance to pressure Republicans in Congress to avoid a shutdown and fund his department by the end of the week.
