FBI official: American Al-Qaeda operatives greater threat than Al-Qaeda core

Rusty at the Jawa Report directs us to a statement provided by FBI Assistant Director Mark Giuliano to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy warning of the threat of homegrown Al-Qaeda operatives who are intent on using their Western backgrounds to exploit our social weaknesses to attack us:

I believe the most serious threat to the homeland today emanates from members of AQAP. AQAP leaders such as Anwar Aulaqi and Samir Khan have published articles on the internet detailing their intent to strike the United States. Several key AQAP figures were born or educated in the United States and understand our culture, our limitations, our security protocols, and our vulnerabilities. They use this understanding to develop and refine new tactics and techniques to defeat our security measures and attack us.

Rusty has more thoughts at TJR.