GOP lawmaker says Americans must realize threat from terrorism is real and not going away

GOP lawmaker: Gov’t must warn about terror threat

WASHINGTON — The top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee says the government needs to do a better job of telling Americans about the threat from terrorism.

Michigan congressman Pete Hoekstra says the threat is real and has been in place for more than 20 years. And, says Hoekstra, it’s a threat that’s not going away.

Hoekstra says the U.S. needs to be more forward-leaning in its approach to terrorism and put into place the latest technology for dealing with it.

The Republican congressman says the system for preventing a terrorist attack on American aircraft failed when a 23-year-old Nigerian man was able to board a Northwest Airlines jet with explosives hidden on his body.

Hoekstra appeared Tuesday on CBS’ “The Early Show.”