Task Force Chair: Terror Cells Are in the US, Americans Should Prepare

WASHINGTON—Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC), the chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, released a manual to help Americans prepare for terrorist attacks and cyber crimes.

“There are U.S. cells today of terrorists that we’re all aware of. I chair the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism, and so I’m conscious of the concerns, and I just think we would be wise as a country to prepare ourselves better for what could happen,” Rep. Pittenger told Breitbart News when asked to explain his motive for releasing the Terrorism Preparedness Manual.

He noted that Americans are the targets of a number of terrorist groups including the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) and al-Qaeda.

“There are folks in ISIS, being trained by ISIS overseas right now who have American passports and European passports and they have easy access to the U.S.,” explained the North Carolina lawmaker.

Rep. Pittenger assembled the preparedness manual with the help of retired military officers, nationally-recognized experts on counterterrorism and cyber-security, FEMA, the American Red Cross, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Titled “Preparing Your Home, Family, and Business for Terrorist Attacks,” the 24-page manual can be downloaded for free at www.PrepareNow.com.

“I think it’s important we’re all conscious of the threats against our homeland and of the attacks that have already occurred on our homeland,” the Congressman told Breitbart News. “The purpose of the manual is to give families and small businesses the how-tos—what they can do to prepare in the event of a chemical, biological, nuclear, cyber, and other kinds of kinetic attacks.”

“You don’t want to at all be involved in scaring people, but I think it would be very imprudent and unwise to think—well it’s not going to happen here,” he added. “That would not be a reasonable approach. Clear minds would say, ‘yes it could happen here.’”

Rep. Pittenger stressed that the manual is available to any member of Congress to distribute in their district.

“I have no entitlement to it,” he proclaimed. “This is about protecting America and saving lives.”

In January, Diane Feinstein (D-CA), the ranking-member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, warned that there are terrorist sleeper cells in the U.S.

“Americans are less likely to panic during a crisis if they have prepared and made plans ahead of time,” said Rep. Pittenger in a statement released along with the manual.

“This preparedness manual offers specific, common sense suggestions for preparing your home, family, and small business to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack and respond with appropriate steps and antidotes,” added Pittenger. “Being prepared will help blunt the impact of any terrorist attack, and make it easier for first-responders to focus on those with the most critical needs.”

The manual suggests that Americans keep an emergency supply kit handy that includes water, nonperishable foods, clothing, cash, radio, first aid kit, signal flares, blankets, and copies of important documents such as ID and proof of residence, among other items.

“Make a Family Emergency Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency,” states the manual. “Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood. Ensure family members have access to plans and phone numbers, and rehearse the plans if possible.”