Next Islamic State beheading will be here: Column NYC arrest of three suspected ISIL recruits raises the threat at home.

James S. Robbins | USATODAY

If the Islamic State released another beheading video it might make headlines. But imagine the impact if, instead of the Syrian desert, the video was shot in the American heartland.

The threat of domestic terror attacks is a hot topic. Last week the al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab terror group issued a video calling for radical sympathizers in the United States and elsewhere to carry out attacks on shopping malls and other public places. This prompted a warning from Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson that the video reflects "the new phase we've evolved to in the global terrorist threat," and for shoppers to use caution. On Wednesday three men were arrested in New York City who had planned to join ISIL in Syria or, failing that, to conduct a series of domestic terror attacks, targeting local police, the FBI and even President Obama.

Also on Wednesday FBI Director James Comey said that there were ongoing "investigations of people in various stages of radicalizing in all 50 states." He said that ISIS is "putting out a siren song with their slick propaganda through social media," and summed up their message as, "Troubled soul, come to the caliphate, you will live a life of glory, these are the apocalyptic end times, you will find a life of meaning here, fighting for our so-called caliphate. And if you can't come, kill somebody where you are."

We have seen these types of domestic attacks recently in the Boston Marathon bombings in April 2013, the October 2014 attack in Ottawa, Canada by home grown radical Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, and the January 2015 attacks on the Charlie Hebdo offices and a kosher market in Paris. These operations were small scale (compared, for example, to the September 11, 2001 attacks), involved few terrorists and apart from the people wounded and tragic loss of life did minimal physical damage. However from the point of view of the terrorists they had the intended strategic effect, dominating the news cycle for days and spreading the jihadist message of fear.

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Terrorists are well aware of their asymmetric advantage in harnessing the media. Any domestic attack is by its nature so shocking that its impact will be amplified beyond whatever harm it causes. Also as Director Comey points out, the current generation of jihadists are skilled in the use of images that are designed to capture attention instantly and spread virally through social media. They are able to bypass established news organizations that exercise editorial discretion when it comes to videos of beheadings or immolations. And once the story has been established by other means, the media has no choice but to go where the web hits are.

The next logical move is for ISIL to export its particular brand of medieval barbarism to the United States. An attack on a shopping mall, bombing Times Square or killing a police officer would focus public attention and capture the news cycle. But how much more frightening, more personal, more menacing, if ISIL kidnapped a random unsuspecting person inside the United States and subjected them to the same macabre ritual beheading they have visited on scores of people in the areas they control in the Middle East. Picture it happening not in Syria or Libya, but New York, California or Texas. Imagine ISIL declaring victories from what it considers the belly of the beast.

There is a reason why they are called terrorists.

James S. Robbins writes weekly for USA TODAY and is author of The Real Custer: From Boy General to Tragic Hero.

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