DOMESTIC TERRORISM IN THE UNITED STATES: IDEOLOGY, RADICALIZATION, MOBILIZATION, AND THE LAW

While the United States fought wars in the mountains and valleys of Afghanistan and in the cities and sands of Iraq, as a part of the Global War on Terrorism, it is “quite clear that domestic terrorists … remain a clear and present danger here inside the US.” Violent extremism is a major concern for law enforcement at all levels in the United States. Although much of the focus is currently on the international threat, domestic terrorists have committed the majority of the terrorist acts perpetrated in America since 9/11. These attacks have come at the hands of different ideological factions: right-wing extremist, left-wing extremist, special-interest extremist, and lone wolf actors. The focus of this thesis is to analyze what motivates violent extremist to resort to domestic terrorism. It identifies if frustration with the United States government is an integral component in the radicalization to violence of these distinct extremist factions. This thesis contends that the domestic terrorism threat in the United States is equally as significant as international terrorism, if not more, and the current domestic terrorism law is inadequate and requires repair. Additionally, it outlines actions that could enhance domestic counter-terrorism efforts. Finally, the thesis concludes with a question for future consideration: Should the federal government establish a new agency that has the sole responsibility of domestic counter-terrorism