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CRS Insights
Domestic Terrorism Appears to Be Reemerging as a Priority at the Department of Justice
Jerome P. Bjelopera, Specialist in Organized Crime and Terrorism (JbJloPera crsJo. Cgv, 7-0622)
A I
In June 2014, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the reestablishment of its Domestic
Terroism Executive Commitee, which had been defunct for several years. The committee includes DOJ
leaders and is co-chaired by a member of the U.S. Attorney community, the [DOJ] National Security
Division, and the FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation]. It is designed to coordinate closely with U.S.
Attorneys and other key public safety officials across the country to promote information-sharing and
ensure an effective, responsive, and organized joint effort. The reestablishment suggests that officials
are raising the profile of domestic terrorism as an issue within DOJ after more than a decade of
heightened focus on both foreign terrorist organizations and homegrown individuals inspired by violent
jihadist groups based abroad. The amplification of this issue by DOJ may be of interest to
congressional policy makers.
Framing the Threat
Domestic terrorists are a widely divergent lot, drawing from many philosophies and worldviews to
justify their illegal acts. They can be motivated to commit crimes in the name of ideas such as animal
rights, white supremacy, anti-government beliefs, and opposition to abortion, for example. Importantly,
the expression of these worldviews-minus the commission of crimes-involves constitutionally
protected activity. As such, individuals and movements openly and legally espousing such beliefs
distance themselves from terrorists who use the ideas to justify their own criminal actions.
From the perspective of federal law enforcement, the FBI safeguards against cases focused solly n
constitutionallY Droected- ctivites. All FBI investigations have to be conducted for an authorized
national security, criminal, or foreign intelligence collection purpose. Investigations may not solely
monitor the exercise of First Amendment rights. DOJ and the FBI visualize domestic terrorism in terms
of threats, not named or designated groups or actors (see Igu-e 1).
Figure 1. Who Are Domestic Terrorists?](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/crsmthaaels0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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