BOSTON —The federal government is targeting Boston and two other American cities to shut down what they are calling the U.S.-jihad pipeline to ISIS in an attempt to stop Americans from joining the terrorist organization, ABC News reported Monday.
But local officials said they have no reason to believe Boston is part of a Jihad pipeline.
Gov. Deval Patrick said he didn't believe Boston was a terrorist breeding ground, saying, "It's not fact yet."

"We get regular confidential and classified briefings on the intelligence that's available to all the intelligence forces, and there isn't any reason to for me to believe, or for the experts to believe, that Boston is a terrorist breeding ground," he said.

Efforts to shut down the pipeline will focus on Boston, Minneapolis and Los Angeles; cities where a number of young recruits for ISIS training originated.

Boston Police Commissioner William Evans told Team 5's Karen Anderson that Boston's involvement in the program has been in the works for months and there is no increased threat.
"Boston was chosen because of our ability to build partnerships in the community. That's why we were selected. We have a long history of community policing and the federal government recognizes that," Evans said.

"The U.S. Attorney’s Office is marshaling a national pilot project aimed at countering violent extremism using prevention and intervention-based approaches. The Boston region was selected for the strength of our existing relationships, community engagement and community oriented policing programs," U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz said in a statement.