Was the alleged assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump the result of some shortcoming in the work of his security service? Quite the opposite, a national security expert believes.
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According to Michel Juneau-Katsuya, former director of the Asia-Pacific office of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), the American secret services were “at their best” Sunday at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida, when they managed to prevent what appears to be a second assassination attempt against the Republican presidential candidate.
It was thanks to the agents who carried out “reconnaissance” on the next hole that the ex-president was going to play that the sniper was able to be spotted.
“Everything seemed to be preparing for an attack,” said Juneau-Katsuya, specifying that the suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, had installed ceramic plates in order to protect himself while leaving a small space in order to carry out his shot.
The expert also points out that the most difficult job when ensuring the security of a polarized public figure like Donald Trump is to flush out “lone wolves.”
“These individuals will self-radicalize in the privacy of their homes and will come forward at the very last minute,” he explains.
And it is particularly on this aspect that the agents assigned to protect the Republican candidate excelled, according to Mr. Juneau-Katsuya.
A “very unhealthy” climate
While all eyes are on the former American president on Monday, Michel Juneau-Katsuya believes that his opponent in the November election, Kamala Harris, and her entourage must be particularly concerned by this event.
“Could it be that there is an equally extremist element that exists among Mr Trump’s supporters who would now like to go after Mrme Harris,” he asks.
According to the former CSIS director, a “very unhealthy climate” currently reigns in the United States, where access to assault weapons is too, much too easy for anyone wishing to obtain them.
“The danger is very great because there is this deterioration,” he concludes.
- Watch the full interview in the video above.
