Why does domestic terrorism occur

This section analyzes the data in three parts: number of attacks and plots, targets and tactics, and fatalities.

Attacks and Plots: Most domestic terrorist attacks and plots between January 1 and August 31, were committed by white supremacists, anti-government extremists from the violent far-right, and involuntary celibates incels. As shown in Figure 1, far-right terrorists committed 67 percent of attacks and plots, far-left terrorists committed 20 percent, and extremists with other motivations such as supporters of the Boogaloo movement and Salafi-jihadists each committed 7 percent.

In mid-January , six members of The Base, a transnational white supremacist group, were arrested in Georgia and Maryland and charged with plotting terrorist attacks. Targets and Tactics: The increase in protests and political rallies over the summer of resulted in notable changes in targets and weapons adopted by violent far-left and far-right extremists. Actors of both orientations targeted demonstrators in a large percentage of their attacks. While the primary targets 58 percent of anarchists and anti-fascists were police, government, and military personnel and institutions, 42 percent of their attacks and plots in also targeted demonstrators.

These included crowds supporting the police and Donald Trump, as well as protesters against abortion. The rise in violent far-left and far-right attacks against demonstrators may have been caused by the emerging security dilemma in urban areas, where there was a combustible mix of large crowds, angry demonstrators, and weapons.

There was also an increase in vehicle attacks, most of which targeted demonstrators and most of which were committed by white supremacists or others who opposed the Black Lives Matter movement.

On June 7, for instance, Harry H. Rogers—a member of the Ku Klux Klan—intentionally drove his blue Chevrolet pick-up truck into a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters, injuring one. From January to August , vehicles were used in 11 violent far-right attacks—27 percent of all far-right terrorist incidents—narrowly making them the weapons most frequently used in far-right attacks. This marked a significant increase from to , during which a vehicle was used in only one violent far-right attack.

Although vehicle attacks against demonstrators were most common among white supremacists, one such attack was committed by a violent far-left perpetrator as well. This spike in vehicle attacks may have been caused by the ease of using a vehicle to target large gatherings, such as protests. Explosives, incendiaries, and firearms remained common in both violent far-right and violent far-left attacks and plots, despite the increase in vehicle attacks linked to rallies and protests.

Firearms were used in nearly a quarter of violent far-right incidents and were used in 34 percent of violent far-left attacks and plots. Overall, the data suggest that domestic terrorism evolved based on the surge in public demonstrations that began in May.

These trends were not a commentary on the protests themselves, but rather on the ability of extremists to adapt to opportunities and the proximity of armed individuals in cities with different political and ideological motivations. Fatalities: Despite the large number of terrorist incidents, there were only five fatalities caused by domestic terrorism in the first eight months of There were four times as many far-left terrorist incidents and the same number of far-right terrorist incidents in as in all of Yet only 5 of the 61 incidents 8 percent recorded between January and August resulted in fatalities, excluding the perpetrator.

Some of these incidents were plots foiled by the FBI or other law enforcement agencies, which suggested that law enforcement agencies were effective in preventing several major attacks. Still, the number of fatalities in was low compared to the past five years, in which total fatalities ranged from 22 to 66 fatalities.

All five fatal attacks in were conducted with firearms. Of the five fatal attacks—each of which resulted in the death of one individual—one was committed by an Antifa activist, one by a far-right extremist, one by an anti-feminist, and two by an adherent of the Boogaloo movement. District Judge Esther Salas, killing her son and wounding her husband.

On May 29, Steven Carrillo shot and killed Pat Underwood, a protective security officer, and wounded his partner in Oakland, California. The relatively low number of fatalities compared to the high number of terrorist incidents suggests that extremists in prioritized sending messages through intimidation and threats rather than killing. Given that a large portion of attacks were conducted with vehicles or firearms, there was a high potential for lethality—but an apparent lack of will.

A growing number of U. First, there are various scenarios for a continuation—and even a rise—of violence after the November elections, which could persist into and beyond.

Rising political polarization, growing economic challenges, the persistence of Covid, and growing concerns about immigration could lead to a rise in domestic terrorism.

The actions of far-left and far-right extremists are likely to be interlinked as various sides respond to others during protests, riots, demonstrations, and online activity. There appears to be an assumption by some extremists that others are prepared to use force, which heightens the possibility of violence.

This threat from the foreign fighters cannot be overstated. Mayer, David Inserra, and Richard Cohen. From the opening statement Michael T. McCaul: "Our Nation is grappling with a new wave of terror from the suburbs of Massachusetts to the streets of South Carolina. We have apprehended a string of assailants who, while living among us, plotted to cause mass harm in the name of their hateful ideology.

Just days ago, U. The suspect planned to execute students and broadcast it live on the internet. Last month our Nation reacted with horror as another extremist launched an attack on Black worshippers at a Charleston church. Whether inspired by Islamic terror or white supremacy these assailants share one trait in common: They want to attack the innocent, intimidate our population, and coerce us in order to achieve their ideological and insidious goals.

Both international and domestic terrorism and extremist groups are seeking to radicalize our citizens, and they have begun to master social media as a recruitment tool, placing people on a path of violence at an alarming speed. But we cannot bow down in the face of terror, and we must refuse to live at the mercy of fanatics. That is why we are here today: To confront the dangers we face, identify gaps in our defenses, and counter the viral spread of violent extremism.

Richard Cohen. As of June , the U. Government has charged individuals with offenses related to the Islamic State over the last three years. Radical Islamic extremism is the primary driver of this problem and deserves the government's immediate attention.

Three cities were used to conduct pilot programs: Los Angeles, Boston, and Minneapolis. Minneapolis is a particularly troublesome area, as it is a major center of Islamic terrorist activity. The region is home to the largest concentration of Somali refugees and has been the epicenter for domestic radicalization.

According to DHS, this policy is currently under review, and DHS has declined to share any details about this process, including when this review is supposed to be complete and which organizations are participating. For Congress' immediate purposes, we must determine what is driving DHS's agenda: the assumptions of the Obama era about countering this threat or the President's pledge to put political correctness aside and defeat the Islamic State at home and abroad.

These incidents cause many to wonder whether these are isolated attacks, an increasing trend, part of increasing societal violence, or attributable to some other condition. To date, however, there has been limited systematic documentation and analysis of incidents of American domestic violence. This study provides a conceptual foundation for understanding different far-right groups and then presents the empirical analysis of violent incidents to identify those perpetrating attacks and their associated trends.

Combating Terrorism Center U. This thesis applies the theory of collective behavior and examines--in the context of the current health care reform debate--existing conditions and dynamics and their influence on the domestic far right. Although several determinants of collective behavior i.

To counter right-wing extremism, the U. Instead, the government should direct its efforts to reduce the social structures that create an environment in which right-wing extremism can emerge and flourish and to encourage and ensure the effective operation of social controls. Endeavors along these lines are similar to international efforts countering radical Islamic extremism.

Further studies are needed to explore how counter-radicalization approaches against Islamic extremists can be tailored to comply with domestic law and be applied to domestic right-wing extremists. Naval Postgraduate School U. Response Forces. From the thesis abstract: "After the September 11 attacks, it was expected that terrorists would continue their innovations in tactics to eventually use high-tech weapons of mass destruction WMD.

Such a WMD attack has not occurred. During the past decade, however, law enforcement and military authorities in the United States and in other countries have faced a number of terrorist attacks carried out using more conventional paramilitary methods with devastating results.

This thesis examines the paramilitary terrorist attacks that occurred in Beslan in and in Mumbai in in an attempt to understand the threat and to establish the criteria for an effective U. It is important to understand that a drastic difference exists between requirements for response to paramilitary terrorism and the more common active shooter protocols.

This thesis examines the capabilities and limitations of law enforcement, the National Guard, and the active component AC of the military to recommend a response that could be uniformly achieved across the United States. It was determined that the AC of the military is the only capable response force.

It requires additional planning, coordination, and cross-training with regional civilian counterparts for an effective response to a paramilitary attack to be established. What leads people to join violent extremist groups? How and why do they exit these groups and stop believing in radical ideologies? This one-hour webinar explores the forces that pull individuals to extremist groups, the binds that keep them connected, and why leaving can be so difficult.

The righteous wrath of those who view January 6 as an insurrection and believe we need uncompromising prosecution is understandable. But is it strategic thinking? History has shown that prosecutions based on less severe and politically-fraught charges have a greater chance of resulting in the convictions needed to stop this behavior. This project considered the collection and use of suspicious activity reports at the state and local level.

Capitol attack on January 6 has fueled momentum for new approaches and laws to counter attacks by domestic violent extremists. It will be crucial for policymakers to reckon with what new laws and law enforcement can achieve, and what they can get wrong.

People who radicalize to extremist ideologies often are triggered by negative life events or exposure to propaganda, and those who escape from extreme groups frequently are aided by an individual or group that intervenes to help them reject the philosophy.

The January 6 attack at the U. Capitol emphasized the need for more research to inform violent extremism prevention and deradicalization strategies.

Interviews with former extremists and their family members shed light on what leads people to join—and later leave—extremist groups. This weekly recap focuses on how stress leads teachers to quit their jobs, U. Momentum is building in Congress for legislation to deal with domestic terrorism. Here are five purely pragmatic reasons to be wary of addressing domestic terrorism with a new law. Featured Domestic terrorism involves violence against the civilian population or infrastructure of a nation—often but not always by citizens of that nation and often with the intent to intimidate, coerce, or influence national policy.

Amarasingam, Amarnath Baker, John C. Dascalu, Diana Davis, Lois M. Edwards, Kathryn A. Gerwehr, Scott Godges, John P. Goldsmith, Benjamin W. Hunt, Priscillia Jackson, Brian A. These politicians tend to avoid overt directives, providing them with plausible deniability should violence occur. But when statements reach millions of people, at least some will interpret them as orders.

In , the Supreme Court decided that speech in support of terrorism is protected by the First Amendment unless it incites violence immediately. This renders the link between speech and violence subjective. In some cases, politicians have been prosecuted for influencing extremist violence.

In others, the speaker avoided punishment. Because implied support for violent extremism remains only subjectively punishable, some politicians will likely continue to make implicit statements that increase the likelihood of right-wing domestic terrorism. On July 19, , year-old Florida resident Paul Hodgkins received an eight-month prison sentence for his role in the Jan.