President Obama's former Secretary of Defense and Director of the CIA Leon Panetta said he believes there is an imminent threat of a terrorist attack to the United States.
Panetta said, "I don't think there's any question. I think what we're seeing, as I said, is a much more aggressive chapter and a much more dangerous chapter in terms of the war on terrorism."
Panetta said that Islamic extremist attacks in Paris and Ottawa, as well as the terrorist threat thwarted in Belgium, indicate a new era of combatting terrorism.
The former head of the chief intelligence-gathering agency said that it is clear that terrorist organizations such as ISIS are ramping up their recruiting efforts.
Referring to terrorist organizations, Panetta said, "They are engaged in a much more aggressive effort to conduct violence not only in Europe, but I think it's a matter of time before they direct it at the United States as well. This is a real threat and we've got to be prepared to confront that."