Franken urges DOJ to prevent ISIS recruitment

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) on Tuesday called on the Justice Department to increase its focus on the threat posed by U.S. citizens traveling to Syria to fight alongside the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). 

He recommended the department focus its resources where recruitment might be happening at higher rates, like in Minnesota. 

“We must act diligently and responsibly to prevent Americans from taking up arms with ISIL, or from reentering our country if they do,” Franken wrote in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder obtained by the Star Tribune. 

Last week, the administration confirmed the death of U.S. citizen Douglas McAuthur McCain in Syria. The Minnesota native traveled to the country to fight with ISIS. Others from the state are suspected to have traveled there as well. 

The United States has estimated that more than 100 U.S. citizens are fighting alongside militant groups, such as ISIS, in the country. 

The senator said the Justice Department must coordinate with the State and Homeland Security departments to prevent citizens from traveling abroad to fight or from letting them back in the country. 

“I was troubled by the president’s recent suggestion that the administration has not yet developed a comprehensive strategy to address the growing threat of ISIL’s activities in Syria,” he wrote, using an alternate abbreviation for the group. “As you know, one aspect of that threat is ISIL’s effort to recruit American and other Western citizens to join its forces.” 

Franken sent is letter the same day ISIS released a video showing the second beheading of a U.S. journalist in recent weeks. The militant shown in the first video is believed to be a Western fighter from Britain. 

“No one is more upset about young members of their communities going to fight alongside our enemies that are those communities themselves,” Franken wrote.