ADL s Report on Domestic Terrorism in America

Domestic vs. International Terrorism

Domestic terrorism is more of a threat in the US than international terrorism.

The level of threat posed by domestic terrorism and international terrorism to the American public is a highly debated subject (Kampeas, 2018). Clearly both present significant risks, however, opinions tend to differ in their perception of the greater danger. Domestic terrorism typically refers to extremist groups within a country’s borders whose members generate fear and spread discord by engaging in acts of violence. On the other hand, international terrorism involves terrorist organizations or individuals from different parts of the world who seek to weaken or destroy states through force. Detailed analyses suggest that both types of terrorism are capable of creating significant harm and pose significant risks to society; yet there is consensus amongst experts that, due to its prevalence, domestic terrorism presents a more protracted and expansive challenge that deserves more attention than international-based terror groups.

For example, Michael McGarrity (2019), Assistant Director, Counterterrorism Division, at the FBI, stated, “We believe domestic terrorists pose a present and persistent threat of violence and economic harm to the United States; in fact, there have been more arrests and deaths caused by domestic terrorists than international terrorists in recent years.” Additionally, Ashley Reichelmann (2021), assistant professor of sociology and associate director of The Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention at Virginia Tech, has argued that “Homegrown white supremacists are currently a greater threat to our democracy and our rights than individuals who commit terrorism under the guise of Islam because white supremacists are essentially hidden in plain sight.” Moreover, Reichelmann (2021) concludes that “With domestic terrorism, we don\\\\\\\'t know who the enemy is; it can be our neighbor, our boss, our friend, our family member. It is much harder to cognitively grapple with this reality.” Finally, the ADL reports that, over the past decade, “domestic right-wing extremists carried out 71 percent of extremist-related murders.” The ADL notes that from 2007 to 2017, of 387 deaths in that period, 71% came in attacks carried out by right-wing extremists. Kampeas (2018) that the only reason people still suspect that terrorism in the US is caused by foreign-born nationals is that the Trump Administration gave Homeland Security instructions to identify white nationalists as international terrorists in the Homeland reports on terrorism. The real culprit for domestic terrorism is domestic terrorists (Kampeas, 2018).