Domestic Terrorism/ American Bread Terrorists - Research Paper Example

Such use or threatened use of violence can target individuals or property. Moreover, these attacks are devoid of foreign direction (Fletcher). Islamic terrorism has proven to be more destructive in European nations than in the US. A number of terrorist activities have been perpetrated by domestic and homegrown Muslim extremists in the US. This situation requires the US officials to be wary of such attacks from militant American Muslims. The 2002-2005 Terrorism Report submitted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation indicates that domestic extremists have been perpetrating terrorist attacks, from quite some time (Fletcher).

This report highlighted the proliferation of domestic terrorism in the US The United States had enacted the Patriot Act to deal with terrorist activities. Section 802 of this Act extended the definition of terrorism in order to include domestic terrorist activities. In order to qualify as an act of domestic terrorism, the criminal act should have transpired within the territorial jurisdiction of the US. If the occurrence is external to such jurisdiction, then it will be classified as an act of international terrorism.

The scope and application of the definition of domestic terrorism under the PATRIOT Act, is wide enough to include domestic activist groups, such as the Greenpeace, Operation Rescue, Vieques Island, and the Environmental Liberation Front (American Civil Liberties Union). Islamic terrorists launched their dastardly attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001. These attacks caused the maximum damage, and were the most destructive attacks on US territory. These attacks were the handiwork of international terrorists, in particular the Al Qaeda.

All the same, US enforcement officials have been dealing with domestic terrorist groups (Fletcher). These groups are run by domestic extremists, such as hate groups with conservative ideals. Some groups are driven by racially motivated or anti – Semitic ideals.