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AP/Press Association Images

Terror expert says Isis will use Donald Trump videos to recruit members

“It’s irresponsible and it needs to stop.”

A US TERRORISM expert has hit out at Donald Trump’s reaction to the Brussels attacks.

Speaking on the Today show after yesterday’s attacks, which left 34 dead, Trump advocated the use of torture on Salah Abdeslam, an alleged member of the terror cell which attacked Paris in November.

He acknowledged that Abdeslam is unlikely to be tortured in Europe because “the laws are so liberal there”, but said he would do it.

“Frankly, the waterboarding, if it was up to me, and if we changed the laws or had the laws, waterboarding would be fine,” Trump said.

“If they could expand the laws, I would do a lot more than waterboarding. You have to get the information from these people.

“I am in the camp where you have to get the information and you have to get it rapidly.”

GOP 2016 Trump AIPAC AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Speaking on MSNBC afterwards terrorism expert Malcolm Nance, the head of the Terrorism Asymmetrics Project and a veteran of US Navy intelligence, took Trump to task over his rhetoric.

He said that Abdeslam could very well have had an attack of conscience over the Paris attacks, pointing out that he rendered his suicide vest safe outside the Stade de France.

We don’t have any intelligence that he was a commander, so capturing him may just have been capturing someone who went on the run. But this is why Isis isolates terror cells – so that one person becoming compromised won’t have any intelligence.

Nance added that US military personnel cannot be ordered to commit war crimes, something Trump seemed to advocate. He said that Trump’s “bluster” was not helpful to the US, EU or anyone by Isis.

“They (Isis) are probably cutting videos of this right now.

Donald Trump is validating the cartoonish view that they tell their operatives…that America is a racist nation, xenophobic, anti-Muslim, and that that’s why you must carry out terrorist attacks against them in defence of their version of Islam.

“This is detrimental to the counter-terrorism and anti-terrorism work around the world. There are intelligence officers who are going to have to contend with their partners over what’s being said in the US election.

“It’s irresponsible and it needs to stop. He needs to consult with General Flynn – this is not helping us at all.”

Nance said that the war with Isis was a “fight of ideologies” with both the west and Islam itself.

Trump’s potential rival Hillary Clinton said that his plans to close US borders was “unrealistic”.

“Our country’s most experienced and bravest military leaders will tell you that torture is not effective. It does put our own soldiers and, increasingly, our civilians at risk,” she said.

Read: Timeline: How the Brussels terror attacks unfolded

Read: No reports of Irish injured in Brussels attacks

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    Mute Nigel Garvey
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    Mar 22nd 2019, 10:03 PM

    After Erdogan’s recent rhetoric (night before) I wonder did he truly act alone ? ….

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    Mute Chris Maynard
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    Mar 22nd 2019, 10:42 PM

    after trump’s recent rhetoric, i wonder did the nz truly act alone ? ….
    after fraser anning’s recent rhetoric, i wonder did he truly act alone? …

    see how ridiculous this sounds? hate knows no religion. only hate. we, collectively as a society, have to decide to stop pitting one side against the other if we truly want to tackle terrorism on both sides.

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    Mute Sean Murphy
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    Mar 22nd 2019, 11:23 PM

    @Nigel Garvey: I couldn’t believe what he done. To show the video from inside the mosque on a large screen to an audience was reckless. To then say Aussies will go home in caskets like their grandads in WW1 is an incitement to violence. I’m surprised the international media didnt make more of it. Could you imagine of Trump had done that?

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    Mute Candace
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    Mar 23rd 2019, 1:22 AM

    Any news on the tens of Christians butchered last week in Nigeria or dies New Zealand take priority?

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    Mute ciaran111
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    Mar 23rd 2019, 12:58 AM

    And people wonder why islamofascism is on the raise ?2 attacks in 3 days .Nigeria also.

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    Mute Ger Murphy
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    Mar 23rd 2019, 7:17 AM

    @ciaran111: I can’t wait until they get into the EU. I’d happily pay their doles so I can worry about my kids commuting into town every day…

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    Mute Maurice Dodd
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    Mar 22nd 2019, 10:49 PM

    Two billion backers

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    Mute baron floyd
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    Mar 22nd 2019, 10:28 PM

    Why, the vast majority of media in the world is refusing to print either the names or pictures of these rotten ba@$##ds, does the Journal repeatedly do so??

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    Mute alan doyle
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    Mar 22nd 2019, 11:50 PM

    Not sure this lad is playing from a full deck of cards. Just by the look of him.

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    Mute Philip Siggins
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    Mar 23rd 2019, 11:17 PM

    Since 9/11 tens of thousands worldwide murdered, butchered, beheaded, stabbed, burned alive, raped, thrown of building, stoned, all in the name of Islam and one backlash in New Zealand is anyone surprised ? Just imagine if the shoe were on the other foot and Muslims had been targeted by right wing extremists for the past 20 years what would the likely outcome be ?

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