How DSS busted a terrorist attack in the US

- The Department of State Services (DSS) has shown its worth in terms of intelligence gathering

- The DSS has proved it is capable of detecting any security risk in the country and beyond

- A recent event has proved these claims

A top intelligence officer at the presidency has told Thisday that the Department of State Services (DSS) some weeks ago busted a terrorist planned attack to be carried out in the United States.

The officer was quoted as saying: “When it comes to intelligence gathering, the DSS is well-respected in the international community.

“Hardly a day passes by without at least seven countries asking from us one favour or the other. When it comes to intelligence gathering, the agency is well-respected.’’

The officer continued: “A few weeks ago, the agency busted a terrorist planned attack that was to be executed in the US, and the security agency received huge commendation from the US authority.

“It also arrested one of the most wanted terrorists in the world, and he is currently in Nigeria’s custody; he was responsible for many killings and bombings in 2012 and 2013 in Nigeria.’’

The security officer went on to say in the last few years, there is no security operations that takes place in the country without intelligence report from the DSS.

Defending some of the actions of the DSS especially as it concerns arrest and detention of suspected terrorists which had received hard criticisms from the media and the civil society groups, the officer said the act of terrorism has global standards.

His words: “Look at the incident that recently happened in Berlin, Germany, where a suspected terrorist rammed a truck into Christmas market; all those linked with the incident were arrested, while one or two of them were killed in different countries.

“But if the incident had happened in Nigeria, some human rights lawyers would have filed different suits in court, challenging the fundamental human rights of the suspects.

“Nigerian security agencies can afford to do the same thing in Nigeria because they have the same training with their colleagues in other countries. But by virtual of their religious belief, they are not in a hurry to take life. The patriotism they have always displayed is uncommon.”

He said after the 911 terrorist attack in the US, there was an agreement in the global community that terrorists should be killed notwithstanding the kind of weapons they are carrying.

Meanwhile, a recent media report has revealed that the DSS is already monitoring politicians and their utterances ahead of the 2019 general elections.