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This module is limited to discussion of
terrorist activity by American citizens or foreign nationals residing in the
United States. Information on your vulnerability to terrorist attack while
traveling abroad and what you can do to protect yourself is found in the
Antiterrorism and Force Protection and
Risks During
Foreign Travel modules.
The global militant jihadist movement --
including but not limited to al-Qaida -- presents a major terrorist threat
to the United States. It encompasses a variety of organizations, groups, and
sometimes ad hoc units or cells that act under a common ideological
umbrella of radical interpretations of Islamic scripture. Other collective
terms used to describe these groups include radical Islam, Islamists, and
Salafi Jihadists. The term "militant jihadist" is used in this document to
clearly distinguish between forms of Islam that are linked with terrorism
and the great majority that are nonviolent.
Militant jihadists are not the only
terrorist threat that we face. Right-wing militias, anti-government
"Patriot" groups, eco-terrorists, animal rights extremists, and
right-to-life extremists have all been motivated by political goals to
commit arson, set off bombs, and murder people. The bombing of the Federal
Building in Oklahoma City by right-wing extremists in 1995 killed 186
people, and 75 other right-wing extremist terrorist plots in the United
States have been documented since that time.
1.
The section on the
Jihadist Terrorist Threat discusses the militant jihadist ideology and
the constraints on al-Qaida capabilities as a result of American and allied
counterterrorism measures. The last couple years have shown fewer terrorist
actions originated and planned from abroad but a significant increase in
terrorism planned and executed by American citizens or legal residents of
the United States. This is covered in
Homegrown Jihadi
Terrorists. Some insight into how and why these people become terrorists
is provided in
The Radicalization Process.
Did you know that most American Muslims have no Arab heritage, and
most Americans of Arab origin are not Muslims? Learn more about this
in Avoid the Muslim Stereotypes.
Other Violent Extremist Movements discusses American right-wing and
left-wing extremist movements and the line is drawn between freedom of
expression and behavior that is incompatible with possession of a U.S.
Government security clearance. The requirements for
Reporting Terrorist Indicators apply to these domestic groups as well as
to terrorist acts by militant jihadists. It identifies observable indicators
of preparations or support for terrorist activity.
Hotline Numbers
provides instructions and phone numbers that have been set up by many
agencies to facilitate reporting,
without fear of reprisal, known or suspected instances of serious security
breaches, fraud, or other infractions.
Two sections explore lessons learned from
previous jihadist cases.
Lessons from Ali
Mohamed Case
tells the fascinating story of one of the first militant jihadists sent to
operate in the United States, back in 1985. It illustrates the difficulty
that the FBI and CIA have in determining the bona fides of a so-called agent
or informant.
Lessons
from Other Cases illustrates the various ways American citizens become
militant Islamic jihadists.
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