Homeland Security chief says ISIL not only threat

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Homeland Security Department says that while the surging Islamic State group is taking most U.S. attention now, officials must stay on top of other terrorist threats as well.

Secretary Jeh (jay) Johnson says the US should “not let our guard down,” even as it gears up for confrontation the Islamic militants.

Interviewed on CNN Thursday, Johnson calls the Islamic State group “a dangerous organization.”But he also says officials also are keeping tabs on possible domestic terrorist plots and must watch organizations like al-Qaida on the Arabian Peninsula.

Johnson says in the interview that he wants to avoid trying to rank one terrorist organization over another in terms of threat, although he concedes the Islamic State group currently is the issue of greatest concern in Washington.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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