CIA director: Turkey attack ‘bears the hallmark’ of ISIS’s depravity

CIA Director John Brennan on Wednesday linked the recent terrorist attack in Turkey to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). 

The attack “bears the hallmarks of ISIL’s depravity,” he said at the Council on Foreign Relations, using another acronym for ISIS. 

{mosads}The attack, carried out by three suicide bombers on Tuesday at the Atatürk International Airport in Istanbul, killed at least 40 people and wounded more than 200. 

Brennan said it is not surprising that ISIS has not claimed credit or responsibility for the attacks yet, adding that the group can send a signal while not alienating those inside of Turkey it might be trying to attract.

Brennan said the attackers were able to carry out the attack for a variety of reasons.  

“[They] really don’t have to worry about an escape route [which] makes carrying out those attacks much easier,” he said, adding that there is no defense perimeter in a lot of civilian areas.  

Brennan also said that weapons can be easily obtained, either legally or through the black market, and ISIS’s encrypted communications are hard to crack. 

Those conditions, which he said are “unfortunately a feature of our time,” make it possible for a small group to plan and carry out an attack. 

Brennan said such attacks can “do great damage before signatures associated with terrorists groups can be seen.”  

The CIA director said the U.S. should “redouble our efforts” to uncover terror plots, and “go to the source” — those directing and orchestrating the attacks.

“Most of the attacks are either directed or incited by their external operations group,” he said.  

However, he said we “still have a ways to go before we can say we’ve made significant progress against them.” 

Brennan also said he does not expect Britain’s recent vote to leave the European Union to adversely affect intelligence sharing and cooperation with the United Kingdom. 

“I don’t think the Brexit is going to adversely affect how we deal with the Brits,” he said.