Undeterred by critics on the left, Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said Thursday he’s not backing down from his investigation into possible radicalization in the Muslim-American community.

The House Homeland Security Committee chairman defended the hearings he’s held already, saying the probe is focusing attention on “critical counterterrorism issues.”

“The series of radicalization hearings I convened last March has been very productive,” King said in a statement. “I will definitely continue the hearings in 2012.”

He held four such hearings last year. One looked at radicalization generally; the second examined radicalization in prisons; the third was centered on al-Shabaab, a Somalia-based terrorist organization with potential links to Al Qaeda; and the most recent hearing focused on terrorist threats to the military.

King’s comments were part of an outline he released on his 2012 committee priorities.

(Source: Politico)