John Brennan warns of possible new attacks inspired by Orlando terror

The efforts of the United States of America to defeat ISIL have done little to reduce the threat posed by this terrorist group, CIA Director said in his address to the US Congress on Thursday, warning that new attacks like the one in Orlando could occur, reports TIME, as carried by NAP.

- Unfortunately, despite overall progress in the fight against ISIL on the battlefield and in the financial sector, our efforts have not reduced the group's capacity for terrorism and its global reach, Brennan warned the US Senate Intelligence Committee.

On that occasion, Brennan also stated that ISIL has suffered several defeats, losing „large swaths“ of territory in Iraq and Syria. He also reported that the group still has some 18,000 to 22,000 fighters in the region.

The CIA Director addressed Congress a few days after 49 people lost their lives in a nightclub in Orlando. He said that new attacks by „lone wolves“ inspired by ISIL could follow, which represents an „extremely great challenge for the intelligence community“.

Brennan said that the Orlando attacker, Omar Mateen, had no direct connection to ISIL, but was inspired by the group.

- We could not detect any direct connection between that person, Mateen, and a foreign terrorist organization. However, such inspiration can lead down this path of destruction, emphasized CIA Director John Brennan.