Holder: US does not stereotype in identifying terror suspects

Attorney General Eric Holder said the U.S. is not using stereotypes to identify possible terrorists. 

Following attacks in Paris that have killed a total of 17 people since Wednesday, CBS “Face the Nation” host Bob Schieffer asked Holder how many potential homegrown terrorists are in the U.S. and if they are being monitored.

“I think we’re doing a good job monitoring those people and when I say monitoring, monitoring in appropriate way using legitimate tools,” he said. “We’re not stereotyping anybody, but we’re focused on those people we have some reason to believe might engage in these kinds of activities. “  

Holder said terror attacks have been on a smaller scale since Sept. 11.  

“I think the decimation of core al Qaeda has probably reduced if not eliminated the ability of al Qaeda to do the kind of thing that they did on Sept. 11,” he said. “Al Qaeda affiliates like al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula have moved what they do to smaller kinds of attacks. They have inspired people around the world to engage in these small attacks that involve only one or two people and a small number of arms that can have a devastating impact as we’ve seen in France.”

Holder said the president will hold a summit in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 18 to come up with a way to deal with the root causes of counter and violent extremism.