UPDATE: Dec. 9, 2015, 11:07 AM ET
WASHINGTON (AP) â FBI Director James Comey says the two San Bernardino shooters were radicalized at least two years ago and had discussed jihad and martyrdom as early as 2013.
Comey told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, were radicalized even before they met online.
The couple wed last year.
Comey also said the couple was inspired by foreign terror organizations and described them as “homegrown violent extremists.”
He said the investigation is continuing.
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Americans are understandably disturbed to learn about this seemingly “normal” couple with their young child and seemingly mainstream life, who apparently managed to avoid giving anyone the impression that they were likely to carry out a terrorist attack, until one day they did. It IS disturbing. But they are far from the first violent criminals who weren’t violent criminals, until one day they were.
This does point up holes in the U.S. vetting process, of course. They were jihadists and they got through the system…
Yes, though he was an American citizen, and she may have been able to fly under the radar even with greater scrutiny. But the issue of better vetting is a lot like the issue of better gun regulations – no legislation will ever stop all tragedies, but we should do what we can (within what’s constitutional) to reduce the number.