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Officials Tell Panel ISIS Is Growing in Syria; Detailed Assessments Deferred to Classified Briefing
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Summary
Defense intelligence witnesses said ISIS is strengthening in parts of Syria and that ISIS‑Khorasan is of growing concern for external operations; committee members and witnesses reserved further operational details for closed session.
A House Armed Services subcommittee was told that extremist groups, including ISIS and ISIS‑Khorasan, are reconstituting capabilities in Syria and that more detailed operational assessments will be handled in the classified portion of the hearing.
Representative Jacobs asked witnesses how the Defense Intelligence Enterprise is assessing conditions in Syria following recent policy changes. Dustin Gardweiss deferred to DIA for analytic expertise; Lieutenant General Jeffrey Cruz told the committee that “ISIS is getting stronger globally, every day in small areas. It is probably the most competent at external operations planning and is increasing, out of Syria in particular or ISIS K, ISIS Khorasan as being the most likely to present a threat to Western governments.”
Cruz said the enterprise is relying increasingly on allied and partner access and on human sources, open‑source collection and technical collection to reconstitute a dynamic picture in a constrained environment. He described al Qaeda as “more of a regional threat against U.S. forces in particular areas” and recommended a fuller classified discussion for operational detail.
Ending: Committee members and witnesses agreed to pursue a classified session for a more complete, operational assessment and for reviewers to ask follow‑up questions about collection posture and partner engagement.
