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U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Travels to Ohio
< < Back to us-secretary-homeland-security-travels-ohioU.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, was in Columbus Wednesday to meet with community leaders and law enforcement to discuss a plan to counter violent extremism.
The Secretary spoke to the media at the Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Hilliard, OH.
Many journalists were wondering why the Secretary came to Central Ohio to discuss violent extremism and if there was a threat in the state.
"I would not say that there is a concern here particularly," he said. "There are terrific community organizations here, which is why I wanted to come here. I can only do my work of this nature through community organizations…I wanted to come here to meet with people here so we can build better relationships so they have a face to put with the name and the title of Secretary of Homeland Security," Johnson said.
The Secretary's visit was part of an effort by the Department of Homeland Security to foster relationships between community organizations and officials.
“We’re in a situation where we have to be vigilant for an act of violence committed by somebody not who comes from over seas necessarily, who is trained in a terrorist camp overseas or who has received orders directly from organizations overseas, but somebody who has radicalized right here at home one way or another” he said.
Johnson said outreach programs and grant making activities are the Department’s way of addressing the potential for violent extremism in the United States.