King Praises Arrest in Bombing Case

Rep. Peter King, R-Seaford, praised law enforcement for capturing the second suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing while calling for increased counter-terrorism efforts to fight " Islamist terrorist" threats.

“I commend the FBI and all local police in the Boston, MA area for their outstanding work in tracking down the Boston Marathon terrorist murderers," King wrote in a statement issued Friday. 

The capture of suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ended a tense day-long  manhunt that began after Tsarnaev and his brother Tamerlan shot and killed an MIT police officer, law enforcement officials said.

The brother was killed after a car chase and a gun battle.

The suspects are both ethnic Chechens, who've been living in the United States for years.

"The fact that there was no federal intelligence or chatter prior to the marathon bombings demonstrates once again the Islamist terrorist threat to our country from within our borders," said King, who held controversial hearings on the extent of Muslim-American radicalization when he was chair of the House Homeland Security Committee. He is currently Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterintelligence and Terrorism.

"It is absolutely imperative, therefore, that all levels of law enforcement – state and local, not just federal – maintain extensive intelligence and counterterrorism programs within their states, cities and local communities," King said.

"As has been demonstrated in recent years there is a significant terrorist threat from people living within our country under the radar screen.”