US Domestic TerrorismUS Domestic Terrorism

USA PATRIOT ActUSA PATRIOT Act

• Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act

• Created in response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001

• Controversial because it is said to infringe on civil liberties

• increases the ability of government agencies to monitor telephone, email, financial records, etc.

• Expanded the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism

According to the Patriot Act, According to the Patriot Act, acts of domestic terrorism are acts of domestic terrorism are those which:those which:

• involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;

• appear to be intended• (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; • (ii) to influence the policy of a government

by intimidation or coercion; or • (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by

mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and

• occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States

Ku Klux KlanKu Klux Klan

• Heyday = 1870 – 1960• White supremacists/racists • Anti-Semitic; Anti-catholic• Main target: African Americans• Used arson and murder

(lynching) as primary methods to carry out their terror

Aryan NationAryan Nation

• Founded in the 1970’s • Based originally in Idaho (now in SC & PA)• White Nationalists – Want racial purity• Neo-Nazi & Anti-Semitic • Want to establish an Aryan homeland by forcibly

taking 5 states - ID, MT, OR, WA and WY• Want to punish those who violate God’s law• Most famous attack July 1998 in Coeur d'Alene,

Idaho • AN security guards shot at Victoria Keenan’s car causing

her to crash (son in the car) and was then held at gunpoint• Judge ruled that the AN had to turn over their compound in

nearby Hayden Lake to the Keenans – they then sold it

ELF & ALFELF & ALF

• Earth Liberation Front• Environmental

extremists/Eco-terrorists• Target facilities &

companies involved in:• logging• genetic engineering• deforestation• SUV sales• urban sprawl• McMansion developments• energy production and

distribution

• Animal Liberation Front• Target laboratories,

factory farms, fur farms• Vegetarians & Vegans • Goals

• to inflict economic damage on those who profit from the misery and exploitation of animals

• To liberate animals from places of abuse

““The Unabomber” The Unabomber” Ted KaczynskiTed Kaczynski

• 1978-1995• former mathematics professor• Believed that the consequences of the Industrial

Revolution have destroyed the human race • Called on a revolution against technology• Sent letter bombs to academics institutions, airlines,

and people associated with modern technology• Killed 3; injured 23• Had his manifesto published in The NY Times and

the Washington Post• Brother recognized the work and turned him in

• He was arrested by the FBI in 1996 – he is still imprisoned serving a life term

Timothy McVeighTimothy McVeigh

• April 1995 • Oklahoma City Bombing of the Alfred P.

Murrah Federal Building • Drove a truck bomb into the building killing

168 and injuring 800• McVeigh served in the US Army (Gulf War)• Became increasingly anti US government• Claimed that the attack was revenge for

"what the U.S. government did at Waco and Ruby Ridge"[

• McVeigh was arrested the same day of the bombing and was finally executed in 1999

Eric Robert Rudolph & Eric Robert Rudolph & Army of GodArmy of God

• Radical Christian terrorist believed to be associated with the Army of God• Radical anti-abortion group

• Best known for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta – killed 1 & injured 111

• Also bombed abortion clinics and a gay nightclub

• Arrested in 2003 and is serving 2 consecutive life terms

Anthrax Anthrax attacks attacks

• September & October 2001 (right after 9/11)• Envelopes containing anthrax spores were sent

to media organizations and 2 US senators • Letters included the following statements:

• DEATH TO AMERICA • DEATH TO ISRAEL• ALLAH IS GREAT

• Several postal workers (NJ & DC) as well as people working for American Media Inc (NYC) developed anthrax infections • killed five people and infected 22 others

• No one has been arrested & the case remains unsolved

Anthrax letters origin & Anthrax letters origin & destinationdestination