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Sifting Domestic Terrorism from Hate Crime and Homegrown Violent Extremism [August 14, 2017]
"In light of the violence related to protests in Charlottesville, VA, on August 12, 2017, policymakers may be interested in how the concepts of domestic terrorism, hate crime, and homegrown violent extremism compare with one another. They are fairly distinct ideas that federal law enforcement agencies use to categorize key types of criminals whose illegal activities are at least partly ideologically motivated. Specifically, these terms may be part of public discussion regarding a widely reported incident involving James Alex Fields, who according to witnesses drove his car into a group of people protesting a rally featuring white supremacists in Charlottesville on August 12. Fields allegedly killed 1 person and injured 19 others. The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the incident, presumably pursuing possible hate crime charges. Additionally, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has publicly stated that terrorism investigators are involved in investigating the incident, ostensibly exploring the possibility of characterizing it as an act of domestic terrorism rather than a hate crime."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bjelopera, Jerome P.
2017-08-14
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Sifting Domestic Terrorism from Hate Crime and Homegrown Violent Extremism [June 13, 2016]
"Domestic terrorism, hate crime, and homegrown violent extremism are three fairly distinct concepts that federal law enforcement agencies use to categorize key types of criminals whose illegal activities are at least partly ideologically motivated. […] Domestic terrorism cases differ from ordinary criminal activity in key ways. Most importantly, unlike ordinary criminals--who are often driven by self-centered motives such as profit and tend to opportunistically seek easy prey--domestic terrorists are driven by a cause or ideology. If the motives involved eventually align with the definition laid out in 18 U.S.C. §2331(5), presumably the case becomes a domestic terrorist investigation. […] Current federal law defines hate crimes to include any crime against either person or property in which the offender intentionally selects the victim because of the victim's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, disability, or sexual orientation. Hate crimes may appear to involve ideological issues. However, as described by one FBI official, a 'hate crime' 'generally involve[s] acts of personal malice directed at individuals' and is missing the broader motivations driving acts of domestic terrorism. […] The FBI and DHS have popularized the phrase 'homegrown violent extremist' (HVE). It divides domestic terrorists from U.S.-based terrorists motivated by the ideologies of foreign terrorist organizations. According to DHS and the FBI, a HVE is 'a person of any citizenship who has lived and/or operated primarily in the United States or its territories who advocates, is engaged in, or is preparing to engage in ideologically-motivated terrorist activities (including providing support to terrorism) […]."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bjelopera, Jerome P.
2016-06-13
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Sifting Domestic Terrorism from Other Illegal Activity [June 24, 2015]
"Domestic terrorism cases differ from ordinary criminal activity in key ways. Most importantly, unlike ordinary criminals--who are often driven by self-centered motives such as profit and tend to opportunistically seek easy prey--domestic terrorists are driven by a cause or ideology. If the motives involved eventually align with the definition laid out in 18 U.S.C. §2331(5), presumably the case becomes a domestic terrorist investigation. […] 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, environmental rights, white supremacy, anti-government beliefs, and anarchism, 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 solely on constitutionally protected activities. 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. Finally, the Department of Justice and the FBI visualize domestic terrorism in terms of threats, not named or designated groups or actors."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bjelopera, Jerome P.
2015-06-24
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