ABC's Moran: 'Virus of Islamic Violent Extremism' Infecting Europe

April 22nd, 2015 1:36 PM

On Wednesday's Good Morning America, ABC's Terry Moran refreshingly labeled one of the major threats to Western civilization – something the Obama administration has consistently failed to do – as he covered a planned attack on churches in France. Moran disclosed that "France and...Europe...is, essentially, fighting off the virus of Islamic violent extremism that is settling into the neighborhoods here – into the young people – and some of them taking a violent revenge on their own societies." [video below]

The correspondent also reported that the suspect, who was arrested after accidentally shooting himself, was "already on a terrorist watch list because he wanted to go to Syria – which is, as you know, ground zero for violent jihad."

Moran used his label near the end of a segment on the planned terrorist attack on the churches. Earlier, anchor George Stephanopoulos introduced the ABC journalist's report by spotlighting the "breaking news – a terror arrest in Paris. Authorities take a man into custody. They say he was about to carry out a deadly attack on churches. Of course, the country is still recovering from the Charlie Hebdo massacre and terror attacks earlier this year."

The full transcript of Terry Moran's report from Wednesday's Good Morning America on ABC:

TERRY MORAN: This was a close call – a very close call. Police on Sunday, in Paris, arresting a 24-year-old computer science student from Algeria. He was in possession of an arsenal, they say, of heavy weapons, and was planning to carry out an imminent attack on churches – Paris, as you say, still shaken by that Charlie Hebdo massacre – and now, this. And here, police actually got lucky. The suspect, who they have not named, actually shot himself accidentally on Sunday. He called emergency services. Police responded. They found a trail of blood from his apartment to his car – and in that car – combat weapons, ammunition, bulletproof vest, and documents outlining his plans.

He was already on a terrorist watch list because he wanted to go to Syria – which is, as you know, ground zero for violent jihad – and they also say he is the suspect in the killing Sunday morning of 32-year-old Aurelie Chatelain. She's a mom of a five-year-old girl. She was in Paris on a training session this weekend – shot and killed in her car – apparently, chosen at random. So this killer apparently already putting his plans into execution, George.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: My goodness – any sense, Terry, of a wider plot?

MORAN: Well, right now, officials are saying they have detained one woman for questioning, but they are not saying yea or nay on whether there are more involved.

What we do know is that France – and right across Europe, including London – is, essentially, fighting off the virus of Islamic violent extremism that is settling into the neighborhoods here – into the young people – and some of them taking a violent revenge on their own societies.