Are you on the FBI's terrorist list?

[Paul Mobbs]

Hi all,

Are you on the FBI's list of petential terrorist groupd? Or do you just think 
the guy is talking things up to get more money out of congress?

I really do like the term 'speclal interest extremeist'.

Actually, I really do think, from the point of view of the UK, this is a good 
indication of where things are going when the Home Office draws up its list 
of suspected UK terrorist groups, sometime soon, as part of the Terrorism Act 
2000.

See below...


P.

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http://www.fbi.gov/congress/congress01/freeh051001.htm

Statement for the Record Louis J. Freeh, Director Federal Bureau of 
Investigation on the Threat of Terrorism to the United States

before the United States Senate Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, 
and Select Committee on Intelligence
 
<snip>

To help establish a framework for today's discussion, I would like to start 
by providing an assessment of the current international and domestic 
terrorist threat, a brief discussion of recent trends in terrorism, and a 
description of the FBI's Counterterrorism strategy being implemented under 
the leadership of Assistant Director Dale Watson, who heads our 
Counterterrorism Division. Finally, I would like to describe the 
Counterterrorism Initiative proposed in our 2002 budget request to Congress.

<big snip>

"The Domestic Terrorism Threat"

Domestic terrorist groups represent interests that span the full spectrum of 
political and economic viewpoints, as well as social issues and concerns. It 
is important to understand, however, that FBI investigations of domestic 
terrorist groups or individuals are not predicated upon social or political 
beliefs; rather, FBI investigations are based upon information regarding 
planned or actual criminal activity. The FBI views domestic terrorism as the 
unlawful use, or threatened use, of violence by a group or individual that is 
based and operating entirely within the United States or its territories 
without foreign direction and which is committed against persons or property 
with the intent of intimidating or coercing a government or its population in 
furtherance of political or social objectives. The current domestic terrorist 
threat primarily comes from right-wing extremist groups, left-wing and Puerto 
Rican extremist groups, and special interest extremists.

<snip>

Anarchists and extremist socialist groups -- many of which, such as the 
Workers' World Party, Reclaim the Streets, and Carnival Against Capitalism -- 
have an international presence and, at times, also represent a potential 
threat in the United States. For example, anarchists, operating individually 
and in groups, caused much of the damage during the 1999 World Trade 
Organization ministerial meeting in Seattle.

Special interest extremists. Special interest terrorism differs from 
traditional right-wing and left-wing terrorism in that extremist special 
interest groups seek to resolve specific issues, rather than effect more 
widespread political change. Special interest extremists continue to conduct 
acts of politically motivated violence to force segments of society, 
including, the general public, to change attitudes about issues considered 
important to their causes. These groups occupy the extreme fringes of animal 
rights, pro-life, environmental, anti-nuclear, and other political and social 
movements. Some special interest extremists -- most notably within the animal 
rights and environmental movements -- have turned increasingly toward 
vandalism and terrorist activity in attempts to further their causes.

In recent years, the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) -- an extremist animal 
rights movement -- has become one of the most active extremist elements in 
the United States. Despite the destructive aspects of ALF's operations, its 
operational philosophy discourages acts that harm "any animal, human and 
nonhuman." Animal rights groups in the United States, including ALF, have 
generally adhered to this mandate. A distinct but related group, the Earth 
Liberation Front (ELF), claimed responsibility for the arson fires set at a 
Vail, Colorado, ski resort in October 1998 that destroyed eight separate 
structures and caused $12 million dollars in damages. In a communique issued 
after the fires, ELF claimed that the fires were in retaliation for the 
resort's planned expansion that would destroy the last remaining habitat in 
Colorado for the lynx. Eight of the terrorist incidents occurring in the 
United States during 1999 have been attributed to either ALF or ELF. Several 
additional acts committed during 2000 and 2001 are currently being reviewed 
for possible designation as terrorist incidents.


<snip>