U.S. Republicans are sounding the alarm when it comes to Iraq's militant group called ISIS, saying that the next 9/11 attack could be emerging from the Iraq and Syria regions where the extremist sect holds sway.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has already captured the cities of Tikrit and Mosul and recently posted gruesome photographs up on a website claiming to have carried out a mass execution of 1,700 Iraqi soldiers.

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Officials say that ISIS' growing power and scope in Iraq and Syria is extremely disconcerting, but it is not entirely clear why they believe the group to be a direct threat to U.S. national security.

Congressman Michael McCaul, chair of the Homeland Security Committee, stated that sources have described ISIS' success as the "greatest national security threat since 9/11."

Several U.S. politicians have gotten on board, claiming that once the militant group has a firm hold in Iraq, they will be able to cause violence around the globe.

The chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Mike Rogers, told Fox News that the major threat comes from the "thousands" of American and European volunteers and mercenaries who are fighting for ISIS. According to Rogers, ISIS "has the capability to tap people with Western passports to send them back to Europe and the United States for terrorist activity."

The Republican politician called on Barack Obama to use his influence with Sunni Arab States to rein in the ISIS threat, but President Obama has repeated on several occasions that the Iraqis must settle the issue on their own and the US will not be dragged back into costly military operations in the region.

Senator Lindsey Graham has suggested the alternative strategy of holding open discussions with Iran which is a Shia ally of Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.  

The Wall Street Journal cited U.S. officials stating that the US will be holding open talks with Iran in order to broach Iraq's security concerns and solidify a plan for responding to ISIS attacks.

TagsIraq, ISIS, attack, militant group, US