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The Biden Justice Department is forming a new domestic terrorism unit to help combat what the Washington Post reported to be “a threat that has intensified dramatically in recent years,” citing Matthew G. Olsen, the head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
Parents attending school board meetings can relax, as the national security official was referring to those “accused of planning or committing crimes in the name of domestic political goals,” the paper reported.
Olsen announced the new domestic terrorist unit Tuesday in his opening remarks before the Senate Judiciary Committee, saying the number of FBI investigations of suspected domestic violent extremists had more than doubled since the spring of 2020, the article stated. He also said the new unit would “augment our existing approach” to counter domestic and international terrorism.
“I decided to establish a domestic terrorism unit to augment our existing approach,” Olsen said. “This group of dedicated attorneys will focus on the domestic terrorism threat, helping to ensure that these cases are handled properly and effectively coordinated across the Department of Justice and across the country.”
As for who he has in mind, Olsen added, “We’ve seen a growing threat from those who are motivated by racial animus as well as those who ascribe to extremist anti-government and anti-authority ideologies.”
The Post noted that Olsen’s testimony “comes just a few days after the anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, which some lawmakers view as evidence the FBI was not taking sufficiently seriously the threat posed by domestic extremists and violence-prone members of far-right groups.”
At the same time, unvaccinated Americans and others who oppose questionable mask and vaccine mandates are seen by many in the media as anti-government and anti-authority.
There was no mention of the Antifa movement or the oft-violent Black Lives Matter movement, two groups that have frequently brought terror to many American cities, but the timing is consistent with the Democratic Party about the go public with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s politically-motivated House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 protest at the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters and others.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a memo on the anniversary of Jan. 6 warning of an uptick in chatter on extremist online platforms, including threats against lawmakers, according to The Hill.
Having obtained the memo, the political news outlet reported that national security officials had no indication of a specific and credible plot.
“DHS and FBI have identified new content online that could inspire violence, particularly by lone offenders, and could be directed against political and other government officials, including members of Congress, state and local officials, and high-profile members of political parties,” John Cohen, the head of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, wrote in the memo.
Attorney General Merrick Garland asked Congress for additional funding in May 2021 to be used to combat domestic terrorism, gender violence and systemic racism.
“I ask for your support for our budget as the entire Department works to ensure adherence to the rule of law, protection of public safety, and equal justice for all Americans,” Garland said at the time.
Garland came under fire last year for issuing a memorandum calling on the FBI to “use its authority” against parents who threaten public school officials. The memo came as parents around the country took a defiant stand against toxic critical race theory being taught in schools. The National School Boards Association sent a letter to the Biden administration calling for the use of statutes like the Patriot Act, to address threats or violence directed toward school board members over actions that it said could be “the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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