Terrorism expert, Navy intelligence officer discuss fight against ISIS

Officials to discuss domestic terrorism Sunday on 'This Week in Jacksonville'

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Much has been discussed concerning the weapons Omar Mateen used in the Pulse nightclub massacre, even how he acquired them after two separate FBI investigations.

Friday, News4Jax spoke with 34-year-old Brandon Patty, a Navy reservist and intelligence officer from St. Johns County. 

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He views a terror attack in America as a continuing declaration of war.

"The question then falls to us. What are we going to do? Are we going to declare war back on them? Christians? Muslims? The western world, are we going to stand back? Or are we going to start moving forward on a war footing. Cut through the political correctness, increase information sharing among agencies and allies," Patty said. "Also, make sure that our law enforcement and military have the resources and what they need in order to be able to prosecute that fight."

News4Jax spoke Thursday with a man who served in the CIA Joint Terrorism Task Force after serving in the Army as a Green Beret.

Todd Wilcox said defeating terror on U.S. soil starts with identifying it as the global war on terror.

He said he wants to see the country use a combination of diplomacy, logistics, cyberpower and economic power against ISIS.

"If we use all of our power, we can defeat the enemy," Wilcox said. "This isn't an existential threat, but they're not contained. They're not the JV team. They are projecting power, and if we don't go after them now, we'll continue to fight them here on the streets of America."

News4Jax will also have experts from local law enforcement, Homeland Security and the FBI at an important panel discussion on domestic terrorism Sunday at 9 a.m. on "This Week in Jacksonville."


About the Author:

Kent Justice co-anchors News4Jax's 5 p.m., 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts weeknights and reports on government and politics. He also hosts "This Week in Jacksonville," Channel 4's hot topics and politics public affairs show each Sunday morning at 9 a.m.