Voice of America
The United States is creating a new unit to help investigate and prosecute cases of domestic terrorism, citing a rising threat and a growing caseload.
Assistant U.S. Attorney General Matthew Olsen told lawmakers Tuesday he was establishing the new unit as part of the Justice Department’s National Security Division to “ensure that these cases are handled properly and effectively."
"The threat posed by domestic terrorism is on the rise," Olsen said during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. "We've seen a growing threat from those who are motivated by racial animus as well as those who ascribe to extremist anti-government and anti-authority ideologies.”
Olsen said the number of domestic terrorism investigations initiated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation has more than doubled since March 2020, and that U.S. intelligence officials expect the threat to persist.
