By Steve Neavling
The FBI Agents Association is calling on the Biden administration to make domestic terrorism a federal crime.
The group, which represents more than 14,000 active and former special agents, applauded the administration for launching a new strategy to combat terrorism.
But, the group said, the plan does not include an enforceable domestic terrorism statue, Axios reports.
Domestic terrorism is currently not a federal criminal offense, though it is defined under federal law.
“As the plan points out, ‘domestic terrorism’ is defined by federal law,” the FBI Agents Association said in a statement. “Despite this definition, domestic terrorism is not a federal crime with a penalty. Penalties are required for the definition to be an effective deterrent for would-be perpetrators and an effective tool for law enforcement.”
Following the deadly Jan. 6 riot, Congress has considered making domestic terroism a federal offense. But some members of Congress worry an enforceable domestic terrorism law could be used to criminalize political dissent.
“Making domestic terrorism a federal crime would not result in the targeting of specific ideas or groups,” the FBI Agents Association countered. “Rather, it would target acts of violence that have no place in the political discourse secured by our Constitution and Bill of Rights.”
