FOX "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren" - Transcript: Terrorist Plots

Interview

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VAN SUSTEREN: So, why haven't U.S. officials confirmed the ISIS terror plot to take place on U.S. soil? And what does Iraqi intel know that we don't?

Representative Peter King is on the Homeland Security Committee. He joins us. Good evening, sir.

REP. PETER KING, MEMBER, HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE: Hi, Greta. How are you?

VAN SUSTEREN: Very well.

Prior to today's announcement from the Iraqi prime minister, had you heard anything about a plot to hit New York or Paris subways?

KING: No, I didn't. And from talking to everyone that I know in the intelligence and law enforcement community today, it seems to be no evidence to substantiate what the prime minister has said. And I mean, there is nothing coming from Iraqi intelligence, as far as I know, the FBI, Homeland Security, NYPD. Now this would have involved a subway attack in New York. Remember, we have 140 government leaders in New York this week, including every major world leader has been here. And so obviously, you would have thought that somebody would have contacted the NYPD. And Baghdad would have made this known. Right now it appears it's misinformation. Obviously, it's going to be examined. And you can be sure that our people are in very close contact with the intelligence agencies in Baghdad.

VAN SUSTEREN: I guess that I would love to believe that. And then I sort of think is this bogus? But then I think, look, our intelligence people didn't catch 9/11. They didn't catch the terror plot in Times Square until that happened. The underwear bomber, he was allowed to board a plane buying a one-way ticket without any baggage. It's like on the one hand, I don't want to be an alarmist. On the other hand, there is some really bad things that have slipped through the cracks with our intelligence service.

KING: Oh, no, that can always happen. You don't know what you don't know. But, in this case, if there were more to it, you would think that Baghdad intelligence would have immediately told our intelligence agencies. And they have their own prime minister in New York, the city that could have been attacked. You would have thought again what should have happened is and, in fact, happens 999 out of 1,000 times, is that when a nation finds something like this or thinks they find something, even if it's a tip or hint, they immediately pass it on to the intelligence communities affected. What I can find out the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security, nobody was notified by Baghdad of anything. In fact, their prime minister was in the city at a time when they felt, according to him, that there could be an attack on New York. It doesn't add up. But, again, everything has to be checked out.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Well I guess it would make a big difference to me as I sort of guess as to whether this is real or not. Frankly, we are in a position where we have to guess, regrettably.

KING: Right.

VAN SUSTEREN: Does the U.S. get like a bunch of these scary alerts like five a day so that this is just one of many or is this unusual, so that maybe, you know, give it more attention?

KING: No. We get quite a few. You get people who come to embassies around the world, some have been reliable in the past, others haven't. They will come in and say they think there is going to be an attack in such and such location. That happened several years ago before 9/11. The 10th anniversary of 9/11, we got information there was going to be attack on ground zero of 9/11 itself. It was an all-person alert in New York for those two days before and the day itself. And as it turned out, it was either bogus or the plot was called back.

But, again, we can't take anything for granted. Every hint, every tip is tracked down. And in addition to that, though, there's always those you don't hear and it comes too late. As you mentioned, certainly, the Christmas Day bombing, the Times Square bombing. We should have certainly, with the Christmas Day bombing, we should have known more. But, again, all is analyzed and is looked at.

And also for the prime minister to -- the last thing he should have done is mentioned it publicly before he had told the American government. If it were real, you would think something as serious as this he wouldn't mention to a bunch of reporters on a street corner.

VAN SUSTEREN: That is curious, indeed. I agree.

Congressman, thank you, sir.

KING: Thank you, Greta.

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