Department of Justice

FBI Failed to Identify, Track Homegrown Extremists, Justice Department Watchdog Says

Since 9/11, homegrown violent extremists (HVE) have carried out over 20 attacks in the U.S., federal authorities said Wednesday

Michael Horowitz prepares to testify in a Senate hearing
Samuel Corum/Getty Images

The FBI has not done enough to identify and fight homegrown extremists, the Department of Justice’s internal watchdog said Wednesday.

The agency also failed to follow up on some cases that had been flagged as potential threats to the country, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz wrote in his report, as reported by NBC News.

“The FBI has not taken a comprehensive approach to resolving deficiencies in its counterterrorism assessment process,” Horowitz concluded.

The FBI defines homegrown violent extremists or HVE’s as “global jihad-inspired” individuals who were radicalized in the United States and are not taking marching orders directly from “foreign terrorist organization” like Al Qaeda or the Islamic State militant group.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com.

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