POOL

Washington, DC - 14 July 2016

1. House of Representatives members taking seats at House Homeland Security Committee

2. Various of Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security; James Comey, FBI Director, and others sitting before house panel

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security:

"I am concerned about the prospect of demonstrations getting out of hand. I am concerned about the possibility of violence. We have within DHS (Department of Homeland Security) some 3,000 personnel that will be dedicated to the security of the Republican National Convention, and the Democratic National Convention each, consisting of Secret Service, TSA (Transportation Security Administration), Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection. NPPD (National Protection and Programs Directorate), Coast Guard. I know there will be at least another 1,000 or so US government personnel in both places, a number in Cleveland of the Ohio Guard, as well as probably thousands in terms of state and local law enforcement. We have been planning and preparing for both conventions for over a year, as I mentioned earlier. I plan to inspect the security at both sites, Cleveland tomorrow, and Philadelphia next Friday."

4. Various of of House panel

5. SOUNDBITE (English) James Comey, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Director:

"So, anytime there's a national spotlight on a political event in the United States, there's a risk that groups that aspire to do just that - to engage in acts of domestic terrorism - will be attracted. It's a threat we're watching very, very carefully. It's the reason we have hundreds of people focused on intelligence and deployed to Cleveland. I don't want to talk about particular groups here, but there is a concern anytime there's an event like this that people from across a spectrum of radical groups will be attracted to it, so we're watching it very, very carefully."

6. Wide of Johnson, Comey and others sitting in front of House panel

Senior US national security officials say they are worried about the potential for violence at the Republican National Convention to be held in Cleveland next week.

During congressional testimony on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he's concerned that demonstrations outside the convention hall may get out of hand.

Johnson says he will be inspecting the security around the convention hall during a visit on Friday.

He says there are similar concerns about the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and he will be visiting that site next week.

Johnson told the House Homeland Security Committee there will be 4,000 U.S. government security personnel in Cleveland.

FBI Director James Comey added that anytime there is a large, national event there is concern that radical people and groups may be drawn to it.