Abbott warns Iranian ‘sleeper cells’ must be taken ‘seriously’ after deadly Texas shooting
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warned that Iranian "sleeper cells" operating inside the United States pose a serious threat following Operation Epic Fury, saying the danger must be taken "seriously" as the Lone Star State ramps up security efforts.
"You oftentimes see when there's a war breaking out like this, where the United States may be going against a country like Iran, that you could have either sleeper [cells] or lone wolves acting," Abbott told "Mornings with Maria" on Monday.
"That's exactly why we increased the number of Texas Department of Public Safety officers to be patrolling the streets and patrolling sensitive areas and why I deployed the Texas National Guard to do the same thing," he said.
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Heightened tensions followed a deadly shooting in Austin early Sunday, when suspect Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Senegal, opened fire near a bar in the downtown area, killing two and injuring 14 others.
Diagne wore a sweater reading "PROPERTY OF ALLAH" during the attack.
According to media reports, law enforcement officials found the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran and photos of its leaders in his home.
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"There are other details that will be coming out about the shooter and his connections to terrorism that will make clear [that] this was a lone wolf activity where this shooter intended to wreak havoc here in Texas, here in the United States, because of his ties and sympathies with Iran," Abbott said.
Abbott and other Republicans have long cautioned against the consequences of open borders under the Biden administration. He echoed those warnings during his FOX Business appearance, telling Maria Bartiromo the shooting raises other questions.
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"It calls into question a lot of people like that who are here in the United Sates, who came from other countries," he said.
"The United States has to do a far better job in trying to vet and… ongoingly evaluate those who have come to our country who could pose a danger."
Fox News Digital's Asra Q. Nomani contributed to this report.