Understanding and Conceptualizing Domestic Terrorism: Issues for Congress

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Defining Domestic Terrorism and Extremism ................................................................................. 1

Federal Definitions of Domestic Terrorism ............................................................................... 2 Federal Definitions of Domestic Violent Extremism ................................................................ 4

Federal Domestic Terrorism Laws .................................................................................................. 6 Domestic Terrorism Threats ............................................................................................................ 8

Former Methods of Describing Threats .................................................................................... 9 Current Threats—Extremists and Lone Actors ......................................................................... 9

Domestic Terrorism Incidents ....................................................................................................... 10

Hate Crimes as Domestic Terrorism Incidents ........................................................................ 14

Going Forward in Understanding Domestic Terrorism: Issues Facing Congress ......................... 16

Considering a Federal Domestic Terrorism Charging Statute ................................................. 16

Arguments in Support of a Domestic Terrorism Law ....................................................... 17 Arguments Against a Domestic Terrorism Law ................................................................ 18

Utility of Using the Domestic Terrorism Term ....................................................................... 20

Understanding the Threat and the Data ............................................................................. 20 Addressing the Threat ....................................................................................................... 21

Allocation of Resources to Address Domestic Terrorism ....................................................... 21 Domestic Terrorism Data ........................................................................................................ 22

Investigations, and Referrals of Possible DT Incidents ............................................................... 11

Table 2. Percentage Breakdown of FBI DT Investigations by Investigative Classification .......... 13

Contacts Author Information ........................................................................................................................ 23

link to page 25 link to page 25 Understanding and Conceptualizing Domestic Terrorism: Issues for Congress

Introduction How the federal government defines and conceptualizes domestic terrorism (DT)1 shapes the nation’s understanding of it as a federal crime and policy issue. Domestic terrorists (and the crimes they commit) are labeled as such because their criminal actions are directed against the civilian population and/or government and intended to influence the conduct of government within the boundaries of the United States. Like foreign terrorism, DT involves ideologically driven criminal acts aimed at influencing the government or coercing the population. But unlike with foreign terrorism, the federal government currently cannot formally charge individuals with DT, which sometimes makes it difficult (and occasionally controversial) for the federal government to formally characterize any individual as a domestic terrorist. Further, domestic terrorists may adhere to certain extremist ideologies or belong to hate or extremist groups, but unlike the formal process involved in designating foreign terrorist organizations, the federal government does not have a formal process to label domestic terrorist movements or groups, thereby making it difficult to categorize the threat presented by groups or movements as a DT threat. Some observers may look to terrorism-related incidents, investigations, and arrests to help them understand the scope of the DT threat, but these data are limited (see the “Domestic Terrorism Data” section).