FBI Considers Domestic Violent Extremists as Top Domestic Terrorism Threat

CC BY 2.0 / JOE ANDRUCYK / FBI Field Office
FBI Field Office - Sputnik International, 1920, 04.08.2022
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The FBI considers domestic violent extremists (DVEs) to be the main domestic terrorism threat, and the number of investigations of suspected DVEs has doubled over the past two years, FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Senate on Thursday.
"The top domestic terrorism threat we face continues to be from DVEs we categorize as Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists ('RMVEs'), including those who advocate for the superiority of the white race, who were the primary source of lethal attacks perpetrated by DVEs in recent years," Wray said in a prepared statement before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. "It is important to note that we have also recently seen an increase in fatal DVE attacks perpetrated by Anti-Government or Anti-Authority Violent Extremists, specifically Militia Violent Extremists and Anarchist Violent Extremists."
Wray noted that anti-government violent extremists were responsible for three of the four lethal DVE attacks in 2020.
"Also, in 2020, we saw the first lethal attack committed by an Anarchist Violent Extremist in over 20 years," he added. "These Anti-Government or Anti-Authority Violent Extremists have specifically targeted law enforcement and the military as well as institutions or members of the U.S. Government."
The number of FBI probes of suspected DVEs has more than doubled since the spring of 2020, the bureau's chief continued.
"In January, we marked the one-year anniversary of the January 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol, which has led to unprecedented efforts by the Department of Justice, including the FBI, to investigate and hold accountable all who engaged in violence, destruction of property, and other criminal activity on that day," he said.
A man holds a flag and listens to a speaker during a rally at South Carolina's Statehouse on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Columbia, S.C. - Sputnik International, 1920, 03.08.2022
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As of today, the department has arrested and charged more than 850 individuals who took part in the January 6 events, Wray added.
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