South Jersey U.S. Congressman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ2)
South Jersey U.S. Congressman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ2)
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New Jersey's Washington lawmakers across the political isle are urging the Obama Administration to do more to stop the threat of terrorism abroad.

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On WOBM-AM's Townsquare Tonight, South Jersey Congressman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ2), returned from a recent fact-finding trip to Africa do determine the threat of terrorism to the U.S.

"The purpose of the trip was to better understand how these groups are connecting, to better understand how these groups have been strengthening and to try to better understand a strategy that we must develop to stop them before they get to us," said Lobiondo.

He said ISIL, Al Shabaab, and Boko Haram have one common focus and that's to do America harm.

"And what we're seeing, that is most horrific, are the front edges of these groups linking up. So, in many respects, these horrific acts that they're committing are recruiting tools."

LoBiondo said the U.S. Needs to provide our allies in Africa with more technology to win the war on terror overseas.

"We have very willing partners in Africa, the Kenyans, the Ethiopians, the Ugandans, they understand because they've been attacked, the threat that there is to them. They have committed troops, they have committed resources to send to Somalia, in the case of Al Shabaab, and to fight Al Shabaab in Somalia, to keep the fight there but they can't do it on their own. They don't have the technology we have."

He also adds another major threat are the radicalized American Muslims and Westerners who have gone overseas to fight with terrorist organizations.

"And this is very scary because that means they hold U.S. passports, they hold British passports and we have to be able to get a handle before they come back into our country," said LoBiondo.

LoBiondo has served in Congress since 1995. It's his second term on the House Intelligence Committee who's been focusing on Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East at the request of the committee's chairman. It's his second trip to Africa to get briefings from U.S. staff serving abroad. LoBiondo said there's growing bipartisan concern that the briefings they get from Washington are too "politically correct".

In the rear view mirror of this discussion on terrorism, is election season for LoBiondo. The South Jersey Republican in the largely Democratic Second Congressional District, faces Bill Hughes, Jr., the son of the Democrat who's departure in 1995 opened the door for him.

Get more information from his legislative website Here

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