Arrests for Domestic Terror Outpace those Inspired by Foreign Terror Groups, according to Analysis of FBI Statistics

Based on its review of FBI statistics, the Washington Post reports it found that there were more arrests of domestic terror suspects last year than those allegedly inspired by foreign terror groups. The past year was actually at least the second year in a row for which arrests of domestic terrorists exceeded those for individuals believed to be linked to international terrorist groups like the Islamic State and al Qa’ida. In 2018, 120 individuals accused of domestic terrorism were arrested, compared with 100 alleged to have ties to foreign terrorist organizations. In 2017, the numbers were 150 and 110 for those groups. There’s been a new focus on the threat of domestic terrorism recently, triggered in part by the arrest in February of a U.S. Coast Guard service member who is alleged to have been plotting attacks against politicians and other high-profile persons. Representative Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee, cited the case during a talk in which he also asserted his plans to focus more effort on the threat of domestic terrorism. Read the article at the Washington Post.