Washington, Feb 9 (EFE).– U.S. intelligence services on Tuesday said that the Islamic State “probably” will try to stage direct attacks on U.S. territory in 2016, and it warned that the terrorist group has infiltrated the masses of refugees fleeing the armed conflicts in Iraq and Syria.

The IS probably intends to carry out more attacks in Europe and on U.S. territory in 2016, Defense Intelligence Agency director Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart said in an appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee as part of the intelligence community’s annual Worldwide Threat Assessment.

Meanwhile, National Intelligence director James Clapper testified before the same committee that the IS is taking advantage of the massive flow of emigrants from the Middle East to insert operatives into the mix.

Specifically, he said that the terrorist organization had shown itself to be rather good at producing fake passports so that its undercover fighters can move about as apparently legal travelers.

Just last year, Clapper said, security authorities arrested “approximately five dozen” people on U.S. territory for having links with the IS.

The perceived success of violent extremist attacks in Europe and the United States, such as those in Chattanooga and San Bernardino, could lead others to try and stage opportunistic attacks with “little or no warning,” he added.

Finally, Clapper offered the latest update on the number of foreign combatants in the ranks of the jihadist group, placing that figure at 38,200, of whom almost 7,000 come from Western countries and have traveled to Syria since 2012. EFE