(NewsNation) — Senate Intelligence Chairman Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., confirmed reports that the 11 people on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat hit Sept. 2 were known to United States authorities.
NBC reported Saturday that the individuals were on an internal list of alleged narco-terrorists who U.S. intelligence and military officials determined could be lethally targeted.
“There’s very reliable multiple sources of intelligence that tells us that this boat had drugs on it, that everyone on that boat was associated with these designated foreign terrorist organizations that are trying to kill American children,” Cotton told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Several media outlets are reporting the boat was headed to a different Latin American country and not to the U.S.
Cotton said Bradley, in his briefing to members of the intelligence committees, did not indicate the boat was coming to the U.S.
“That didn’t come up in my briefing. But again there’s very reliable multiple sources of intelligence that tells us that this boat had drugs on it, that everyone on that boat was associated with these designated foreign terrorist organizations that are trying to kill American children.”
He also said he backs the release of the video of a controversial second strike on the alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.