Attorney General Garland lays out new domestic terrorism policy

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – The Department of Justice has a new national strategy for combatting domestic terrorism.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the policy Tuesday, recounting major events over the past decade including the January 6th Capitol riot.

Garland said, “The resolve and dedication with which the Justice Department has approached the investigation of the Jan. 6 attack reflects the seriousness with which we take this assault on the mainstay of our democratic system: the peaceful transfer of power.”

It’s the culmination of an effort undertaken at President Biden’s request on his first week in office to address the threat of domestic terrorism, which Garland says is “evolving.”

Garland says the new strategy is aimed and detecting and deterring potential acts of violent extremism but not focused on going after ideology.

Garland explained, “In the FBI’s view, the top domestic violent extremist threat comes from racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists, specifically those who advocated for the superiority of the white race.”

The whole of government approach will enhance the analysis of threats, share intelligence with multiple agencies, and work with tech companies to eliminate terrorist content online.

“The national strategy recognizes that we cannot prevent every attack,” Garland said. “The only way to find sustainable solutions is not only to disrupt and deter but also to address the root causes of violence.”

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