Killings by American domestic extremists in 2019 were the worst in the nation in 24 years, according to a chilling new report released by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
Of the 32 killings by extremists in five separate attacks in 2019 — the most lethal year for domestic extremist assaults since 1995 — 24 were committed by white supremacists, according to the report.
“Gamification” — in which attackers seek to “score” a high “kill count” — “inspired” some of the assaults in 2019, and will likely continue to be a factor in future attacks, the report noted.
There were 57 deaths linked to domestic extremists from 2017 through 2019, with 47 of them racially motivated, according to the report.
“The greatest terrorism threat to the Homeland we face today is posed by lone offenders, often radicalized online, who look to attack soft targets with easily accessible weapons,” the report noted. “Many of these violent extremists are motivated and inspired by a mix of socio-political goals and personal grievances against their targets.”
Deaths from domestic extremists in America rose from 2017 to 2019, though former President Donald Trump focused during that time on shutting borders with claims of foreign threats.
The threat from domestic extremists is expected to continue to grow.
“In 2019, the FBI and DHS assessed [that] Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists, primarily those advocating for the superiority of the white race, likely would continue to be the most lethal Domestic Violent Extremist threat to the Homeland,” the report stated.
The disturbing assessment was based on right-wing extremists’ ability in 2019 to “select weapons and targets to conduct attacks, and the effectiveness of online ... messaging calling for increased violence,” the report noted.
The report warned that “political disagreements within the United States could present opportunities for Domestic Violent Extremists to engage in violence against individuals perceived to have opposing ideologies, prominent political or public figures, or members of the media covering these events.”
House Intelligence Committee Chair Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) issued a statement saying that the report findings confirm “what has been clear for some time: The greatest terrorist threat we face comes from radicalized lone offenders with easy access to weapons.”
“They attack soft targets and have a variety of motivations. But a large majority of the most significant attacks have been carried out by white supremacists extremists,” he added.
Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified at a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday that white supremacy is the greatest domestic terrorism threat facing the nation.
Garland noted that “domestic violent extremists pose an elevated threat in 2021, and in the FBI’s view, the top ... threat we face comes from racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists, specifically those who advocate for the superiority of the white race.”
The Department of Homeland Security issued a new terrorism threat bulletin on Friday which warned that “through 2020 and into 2021, government facilities and personnel have been common targets” of domestic violent extremists. “Historically, mass-casualty ... attacks linked to racially- or ethnically-motivated violent extremists have targeted houses of worship and crowded commercial facilities or gatherings,” the bulletin warned.
The entire report by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security is available here.