TERRORISM »» TERRORISTS »» DOMESTIC TERRORISM »» Nov 29, 2021

Terrorism is the use of violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government or its people in furtherance of a political or social goal. It may be safe to assume that when one thinks of terrorists, thoughts turn to the Taliban, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and ISIS. However, our Justice Dept. reports that White supremacists and other like-minded groups have committed the majority of the terrorist attacks in the United States this past year. White nationalist and White supremacist terrorists include individuals who believe White people and “White identity” in western countries are under siege and who pursue the destruction of pluralistic values inherent to the American way of life. White supremacist groups were responsible for 41 of 61, or 67%, of all terrorist plots and attacks in the first eight months of 2020. These groups were also responsible for 49 homicides in 26 attacks from 2000 to 2016, more than any other domestic extremist group. Experts say that violent White supremacy has been the most persistent and lethal domestic threat to our nation in recent years. The Justice Dept. also reported that “far-left and far-right violence was deeply intertwined” and that far-left groups, including anarchists and antifascist organizations, were responsible for 12 attacks and plots in 2020, or 20% of the total amount - up from 8% in 2019. Last year’s domestic terrorism events include several fatal shootings during public protests, and the FBI’s arrest of 13 men accused of plotting to kidnap and kill the governor of Michigan. Analysts link these events to the country’s charged politics, the coronavirus pandemic and its financial fallout. The Justice Dept. further warned that violence could continue to escalate due to increasing polarization, growing economic challenges, concerns about racial injustice, and the persistence of the coronavirus. Pending Legislation: H.R.350 - Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2021 Sponsor: Rep. Bradley Schneider (IL) Status: House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security (Judiciary) Chair: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX)