Republican Representative Pete King of New York was appointed chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. He immediately blazoned his intention to open a Congressional inquiry into the radicalization of U.S. Muslims.

Mr. King, a Catholic extremist who backed the Irish Republican Army against the Anglican British monarchy, is reputed for his unconditional support of the U.S. Patriot Act and for his islamophobic remarks. According to him, there are too many mosques and muslims in the United States, 85% of whom are allegedly terrorist sympathisers.

Several leading Democrats fear a backslide to some brand of McCarthyism, unleashed this time against Muslims instead of Communists.