Police From All Over Gather In NYC To Formulate Plan To Stop 'Lone Wolf' Terrorists
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A frightening string of "lone wolf" terror attacks was the topic at NYPD headquarters on Thursday as a security summit was held to discuss how the war on ISIS might be felt here in the homeland.
The radical Islamic terror group has issued a call for "personal jihad" against targets in the West, and recent convert Zale Thompson picked up a hatchet and attacked four cops in Jamaica, Queens.
On Thursday, law enforcement leaders from across the Northeast and across the Atlantic Ocean met at One Police Plaza and talked about how terror can manifest in their respective cities, CBS2's Tony Aiello reported.
"Things are changing in different parts of the Middle East. These are things that actually materialize on the streets of our countries and we have to work together to deal with that," said Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police.
London's top cop was among those gathered by NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton for this year's "Operation Sentry" conference, with a focus on cops collaborating to fight "lone wolf" terrorism, such as October's attack on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada.
Police From All Over Gather In NYC To Formulate Plan To Stop 'Lone Wolf' Terrorists
"To fight a network, you need a network. And the 'Sentry' program brings together our network," NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller said.
The law enforcement leaders admit stopping "lone wolf" terrorism is extremely difficult. They suggest family and friends of potential terrorists have a role to play.
For instance, people who knew Zale Thompson said he grew increasingly distant and agitated in the days before the Oct. 23 hatchet attack.
"There's oftentimes a dramatic change in behavior, appearance; oftentimes it may be more subtle, but very seldom does it just happen. There are usually warning signs," Bratton said.
Bratton said it's vital to build trust with communities, so people feel comfortable reporting their suspicions and concerns.
Police leaders from Bergen, Westchester and Nassau counties were among those at the security summit.
Experts say terror attacks on big cities are often planned in the suburbs.
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories
