The number of names in a secret U.S. database of suspected terrorists has swollen to 875,000 from 540,000 only five years ago, in part because of rule changes introduced after al Qaeda's failed underwear bomb plot in 2009.
In the bad old days when Germany was riven in two parts, Germans in the East lived in terror of the state security ministry known as the Stasi, which enlisted neighbors and colleagues as secret informants. Stasi created a spirit of distrust to be exploited by the party.
The inspectors general of the intelligence community, the CIA, the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security have begun a "coordinated and independent review" of the government's handling of intelligence information leading up to the Boston Marathon bombings.
While we celebrate ending the mayhem of two young Muslim terrorists, I suspect the Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement nationwide are not in much of a mood for popping champagne corks or throwing a party ("Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev awake, responding to police in writing," Web, April 22). The reason is the reality of what two dedicated jihadists accomplished relatively cheaply and a within a short period of time.
Bob Leonard and his family were Boston Marathon veterans and he preferred a spot not too far from the finish line to photograph runners as they concluded their 26.2-mile run. The area was less congested and over the years he learned that the men and women in the lead there usually went on to win.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet A. Napolitano needs to explain how she's going to remove the drug scouts from Arizona's mountaintops. It's a serious question for those of us who live in Arizona. Our senators can ask her on Friday when she appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee to talk about the immigration reform proposal.
John Carlson had a cousin run in the Boston Marathon a year ago, and the Washington Capitals defenseman recalled his aunt and uncle going to watch the race. The Natick, Mass., native still has friends and family there and called Monday's bombings "terrible."
President Obama has been briefed about the explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon and his administration is in contact with state and local authorities, a White House official said Monday.
Top Homeland Security officials told Congress on Wednesday that they still don't have a way to effectively measure border security — a revelation that lawmakers said could doom the chances for passing an immigration legalization bill this year.
