Biden administration unveils strategy to tackle domestic terrorism in US

Washington [US], June 15 (ANI): US President Joe Biden on Tuesday directed his national security team to lead a 100-day comprehensive review of government efforts to address domestic terrorism and released the first-ever ‘National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism’ to address this challenge.

According to the White House, the Biden Administration consulted extensively with a wide array of experts across the US government as well as with leaders in Congress, state and local governments, academia, civil society, religious communities, and foreign governments to develop a government-wide strategy to counter domestic terrorists.

“Throughout the process, we embraced the protection of civil rights and civil liberties as a national security imperative. The strategy we are releasing today is carefully tailored to address violence and reduce the factors that lead to violence, threaten public safety, and infringe on the free expression of ideas,” said the White House in a statement.

Detailing the steps to tackle the threat, the White House said that the US government will enhance domestic terrorism analysis and improve information sharing throughout law enforcement at the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels, and, where appropriate, private sector partners.

The Department of State will continue to assess whether additional foreign entities linked to domestic terrorism can be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations or Specially Designated Global Terrorists under relevant statutory criteria.

Drawing on the expertise of a variety of departments and agencies, the US government has revamped support to community partners who can help to prevent individuals from ever reaching the point of committing terrorist violence, said the White House. The government will strengthen domestic terrorism prevention resources and services.

The US government has also pledged to augment its efforts to address online terrorist recruitment and mobilisation to violence by domestic terrorists through increased information sharing with the technology sector and the creation of innovative ways to foster digital literacy and build resilience to recruitment and mobilisation.

“Every component of the government has a role to play in rooting out racism and bigotry and advancing equity for all Americans. The U.S. Government, in close partnership with civil society, will address the long-term contributors that are responsible for much of today’s domestic terrorism. This includes reducing and protecting Americans from racial, ethnic, and religious hatred, and stemming the flow of firearms to individuals intending to commit acts of domestic terrorism,” said the White House.

“We will work to ensure that law enforcement operates without bias in countering domestic terrorism and provides for the public safety of all Americans. In a true democracy, violence cannot be an acceptable mode of seeking political or social change,” it added.

In a statement, Biden said: “Domestic terrorism – driven by hate, bigotry, and other forms of extremism– is a stain on the soul of America. It goes against everything our country strives for and it poses a direct challenge to our national security, democracy, and unity.”

“Today, I am releasing the first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism. It lays out a comprehensive approach to protecting our nation from domestic terrorism while safeguarding our bedrock civil rights and civil liberties – values that make us who we are as Americans,” he added.

The US President also committed to defending and protecting basic freedoms and unite all Americans. (ANI)