AMID concerns over radicalisation following the California massacre, leading Republican presidential aspirant Donald Trump has said radical Muslims are posing a threat to the US as he backed tracking and profiling them for "real vigilance".
"I want real vigilance, and whether it's mosques or whatever it has to be, but a lot of bad things are happening," Trump told CBS News.
"We are having a problem with radicals in the Muslim group. Let's not kid ourselves," he said.
Trump also stated that that he would go after the families and wives of terrorists and asserted that he does not believe in the innocent narrative of the sister of Syed Rizwan Farook, the Pakistani-origin US citizen who along with Pakistani wife Tashfeen Malik massacred 14 people in California last week.
Asked about his position on tracking Muslims in America, Trump said, "You have people that have to be tracked. If they're Muslims, they're Muslims. But you have people that have to be tracked. I use the word vigilance. We have to show vigilance. We have to have it. And if we don't, we're foolish people."
Trump criticised US President Barack Obama for not acknowledging the problem of "radical Islamic terrorism".
"We're being led by people that don't know what is happening. When you have President Obama talking about global warming is our biggest problem, we have a president that is just not with it at all," the leading Republican presidential candidate said.
"Look, we are having a tremendous problem with radical Islamic terrorism. And you can say it, or you don't have to say it. And we have a President that won't issue the term. He won't talk about it," he said.
"So, we're having this tremendous radical Islamic terrorism. OK? A lot of people don't want to even say it. Not a lot of people. We have one person that I really know of, and it's called President Obama," he added.
Trump asserted that until President Obama admits that there is a problem, "we're never going to solve" it.
"But he's only going to be there, fortunately, a little bit more than a year, because the problem will get solved when he gets the hell out," Trump said.
Trump said he did not believe in the narrative of Farook's sister.
Saira Khan and Eba Farook, the two sisters of Syed Rizwan Farook, expressed anguish at the tragedy that has engulfed the the family and community after their brother and his wife shot dead 14 people.
They said they had seen no warning that 28-year-old Farook and his wife were preparing for a deadly assault.
"I probably don't believe the sister (of Farook)," Trump said.
Asked if he "would go after her", Trump said, "I would go after a lot of people, and I would find out whether or not they knew. I would be able to find out, because I don't believe the sister."
On whether he worries about creating more terrorists, Trump said, "No. We have to stop terrorists. And the only way you're going to stop them, in my opinion, is that way."
"You know, they say they don't mind dying. I think they do mind dying. But I can tell you this. They want their families left alone. We have to stop terrorism," he said.
Trump said he does not want to play on fears.
"I would certainly go after the wives who absolutely knew what was happening. I will tell you I would be very tough on families, because the families know what is happening," he asserted.
