Former Central Intelligence Agency director Mike Morrell said he has never been so worried about the terror threat in the United States.
"I’m more worried about a threat in the United States than I have been in a long, long time," Morrell told CBS’ "This Morning" on Thursday.
Morrell, who served as acting director and deputy director of the CIA from 2010 to 2013, cited homegrown terrorists as the primary source of his concern. When Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the federal government increased surveillance, he made it much more difficult for law enforcement to track the behavior of potential homegrown radicals, Morrell said.
Morrell also warned that foreign terrorists like those affiliated with al-Qaeda in Yemen, have the resources to execute a terrorist attack on American soil.
"In terms of the ‘insider’ threat, Norah, really the only thing you can do is monitor extremist websites and see who goes there and see what kind of conversations they have there," Morrell said.
Morrell encouraged the Obama administration to increase security around potential sites for terrorism, as it helps deter attacks.
Morrell's comments come one day after an armed Muslim convert killed a Canadian soldier at the nation's War Memorial and attacked the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa.