An armed with a knife Iraq veteran is obviously much more advanced farther than previously thought to the White House. Now the head of the Secret Service must appear before a Congressional committee to answer questions.

On September 19, Omar Gonzalez scored the Incredible: The 42-year-old climbed over the security fence of the White House and urged unhindered through the main entrance into the building. The Iraq veteran was armed with a knife, later found security forces in his car two axes, a machete and 800 rounds of ammunition.

As the “Washington Post” reported, Gonzalez came much further than previously thought – up in the so-called East Room, which is often used for official receptions and press conferences. Only when he tried to enter the adjacent Green Room, the man was stopped, writes the “New York Times”.

The Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz said he had information that Gonzalez was passed easily to a security guard at the White House. “I have great concerns that the president is not as safe as we would have liked,” he told CNN.

While U.S. President Barack Obama spoke to the authorities responsible for his safety Secret Service of his confidence. Nevertheless, its director Julia Pierson is in Erklärungsnot. You must speak before a congressional committee to the mishap on Tuesday. Observers expect a tough interview because several MPs throw the Secret Service indiscipline before. Ultimately, it comes to the question of whether the service is ever in a position to guarantee the safety of the U.S. president.

This year there have been two incidents in which employees of the Secret Service came in for criticism. A bodyguard was found drunk in a hotel during a presidential visit to the Netherlands, and two had in Florida accident – under the influence of alcohol, such as the “Washington Post” reported. In April 2012, a scandal had shaken visits to prostitutes during a Columbia residence of the President of the Secret Service.

Pierson had arranged according to the breakdown Gonzalez-a review of the security arrangements at the White House. A spokesman for the presidential office said that including a reinforcement of the “tactical forces” will considered on the fence. The Secret Service also considering whether to set up near the White House checkpoints where officials could make security checks.

Although it regularly happens that unauthorized access to the property, recently about the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Usually, however, they are arrested already on the front lawn.

The intruder Omar Gonzalez is from Texas, he was stationed as a soldier in Iraq. His family reported he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the Secret Service man had said after his arrest that “the heavens are above the earth threatens to collapse and he must inform the President about it, so who could warn his people”.

Gonzalez must remain order of the court at least until a next hearing on October 1 in prison. He had neither money nor a permanent resident, it said. The man was assigned a public defender.

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