For many years, the United States has been the target of many terrorist attacks, thanks to the country’s involvement in many conflicts around the world, and its desire to act as an enforcer of democracy and good governance around the world. As one of the world’s superpowers, the United States is usually involved in many world affairs which have made the country to have both enemies and allies. The rising terrorist threat in the United States and the world prompted the government to form various agencies which are aimed at identifying and neutralizing any security threat that faces the United States’ citizens. Some of the agencies that were created for the sole purpose of ensuring the security of people in the United States include the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigations ( Waxman, 2012 ). Each of the agencies listed above has distinct roles, and they work together for the main purpose of making sure that all Americans are protected from terrorist threats. Contrary to what most people think, terrorist threats are also found internally in the United States. There have been several cases where United States citizens have been radicalized and used to plan and execute terrorist plans inside the United States. Internal threats pose a great challenge to the organizations which are tasked with protecting Americans since it can be hard to detect threats from within. The suspects are also protected by law, further complicating the efforts of the agencies in combatting terrorism ( Waxman, 2012 ). This paper seeks to identify the various ways in which the FBI is involved in detecting and preventing domestic terrorism.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is one of the major law enforcement agencies in the United States which is concerned with domestic intelligence. The scope of the agency’s roles significantly expanded after the 9/11 attacks on the United States, giving it a more active role in counterterrorism ( Deflem, & Mcdonough, 2015 ). Currently, the main goal of the FBI is to prevent terrorism, and the determination that the agency has in fulfilling its aim is seen in the allocation of resources within the agency. The agency is comprised of approximately thirty-five thousand employees with more than twelve thousand of them assigned directly to counterintelligence and counterterrorism. Around seven thousand of the employees are involved with intelligence. The FBI's mandate has significantly expanded over the years due to increased terrorist threats and partly due to the lack of a legislative chatter ( Deflem, & Mcdonough, 2015 ).
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The FBI was founded in 1908 when President Theodore Roosevelt wanted to introduce police powers into the justice department ( Waxman, 2012 ). President Roosevelt was forced to use fiat due to the public and congressional resistance where most concerns raised by the people revolved around the fact that a national police force would extend the federal overreach. During the formation of the FBI, there were high fears of domestic terrorism due to the activities that were taking place at the time. President William McKinley had been assassinated in 1901, and there were also several anarchist bombings in the country which prompted President Roosevelt to create an agency which would help in improving the security situation in the country ( Waxman, 2012 ). The increased terrorist attacks in the 1970s and 80s such as the Beirut attack on the Marines barracks and the bombings of the United States embassy forced the FBI to increase its focus on terrorist activities and how to stop them. The agency got the go-ahead to actively involve itself in counterterrorism activities in 1986 when the United States Congress gave it the mandate to investigate terrorist attacks in foreign countries which resulted in the death of American citizens. Congress also granted the FBI powers to make arrests in foreign countries. The 1990s saw the then director of the FBI Louis Freech increase the presence of the FBI in most United States embassies and also increased the coordination between the FBI and the CIA. Freech also started the counter-terrorism department which further increased its role in counter-terrorism. Despite the efforts put in by Freech most of the FBI field agents stuck to their traditional roles of law enforcement ( Waxman, 2012 ).
The 9/11 attacks marked the turning point for the FBI as many people realized that the attack would have been prevented if there was increased corporation among the agencies in the United States. The 9/11 commission recommended the expansion of the intelligence agencies and the change of the culture of the intelligence agencies. The scope and the mandate of the FBI were subsequently improved thus giving it more powers to counter terrorist threats that arise from within the country ( Waxman, 2012 ).
Domestic Terrorism
Grozdanova defines domestic terrorism as acts of terrorism that are carried out by individuals or groups of people which are inspired by movements based in the United States that hold extremist ideologies of a racial, political, or environmental nature (2014). A perfect example of domestic terrorism was June 8, 2014, Las Vegas shooting which was carried out by a couple who held anti-government ideologies ( Ridley, & Alexander, 2012 ). Recent years has seen an increase in the number of domestic terrorism. The FBI concludes that the increase in domestic terrorist threats is due to the radicalization of most of the people in the United States by terrorist groups outside the country. Technological advancements and the internet age has made it possible for many terrorist organizations to target American citizens and radicalize them through radical messages ( Ridley, & Alexander, 2012 ). The threat of domestic terrorism forced the FBI to shift its priorities and start active initiatives in combatting terrorism.
The efforts adopted by the FBI to fight terrorism, especially in foreign countries has been largely successful evidenced by the decrease in the number of terrorist attacks from terrorist groups in other countries. One of the major reasons why the FBI has been successful is due to the policies and laws that allow them to hunt down terrorist organizations. However, replicating the same success in combatting domestic success has been an uphill task for the FBI. Pursuing domestic terrorists with the same approach; it uses on foreign terrorists has the potential of doing more harm than good due to the existence of many laws that protect internal terrorists. Even though federal law has a description of domestic terrorism, the term alone cannot be used as a stand-alone charge. Its definition of federal laws does not also attract the same resources and powers that are used to fight international terrorism ( Grozdanova, 2014 ). The FBI and other agencies are only left with a few state criminal, civil rights, and federal laws to combat domestic terrorism thus limiting their effectiveness.
Ridley and Alexander identify that there are many ways through which the FBI combats terrorism. One of the methods that have been consistently used over the years is through intelligence gathering. The FBI has trained agents who can identify and penetrate terrorist organizations for the main purpose of seeking information about their plans and intentions. By penetrating and joining such terrorist organizations, the agents can get real-time information about the plans of terrorist organizations and then inform the bureau which in turn takes measures to ensure that the plans are not successful. There are also instances where the FBI some of the members of the terrorist organizations as sources of information instead of sending in their agents. Members of terrorist organizations can be good sources of information since they understand the operations of the organizations (2012). Deflem and Mcdonough (2015) note that intelligence gathering has improved, thanks to the rapid advancement in technology which has resulted in more sophisticated intelligence-gathering tools. With advanced technology, FBI agents can intercept the communications made by terrorist organizations and be able to identify their plans and prevent them before being successful. The Expansion of the mandate of the FBI into intelligence gathering has led to the identification and the prevention of many terrorist attacks that were to be executed against the United States ( Rascoff, 2010) . Through the gathering of information against terrorist organizations, the FBI can identify people or groups of people who are more likely to be radicalized and then monitor their actions to find out whether or not they are likely to participate in events that amount to terrorism. Intelligence gathering is the most effective counter-terrorism strategy used by the FBI since it prevents terrorist attacks from happening. The method also gives the authorities important information about terrorist organizations thus knowing the strengths and capabilities ( Rascoff, 2010) . The knowledge of terrorist organizations enables different agencies in the country to identify the most effective way of dealing with them.
Another method that is used by the FBI to counter or prevent domestic terrorism is through anti-terrorism programs which increase the corporation between the agency and the community. Through the programs, the communities are educated on the dangers of domestic terrorism and their role in ensuring that their communities and their country is safe from terrorist attacks ( Grozdanova, 2014 ). Working with communities is also an effective way of combatting terrorism since most members within a specific community know each other. Any change of behavior exhibited by a single person may raise eyebrows among other community members thus leading to intervention methods. Other programs launched by the FBI and other organizations is deradicalization programs which seek to deradicalize some of the people in the United States who have been brainwashed by terrorist groups outside the country. Deradicalization programs involve changing the minds and the perspective of the people who may have received education and training from terrorist organizations ( Grozdanova, 2014 ). Waxman (2012) states that deradicalization programs are an important component in the fight against domestic terrorism since they involve the community which increases their efficiency. Most terrorist threats have been identified and stopped by the FBI due to the information provided by members of the community.
Furthermore, the FBI has been at the forefront of advocating for more laws that would support their efforts to prevent domestic terrorism. On several occasions, the FBI has been involved with offering advice and suggestions to lawmakers, especially Congress so that they can create laws that can give the FBI the power to freely investigate, apprehend, and charge domestic terrorism ( Grozdanova, 2014 ). According to Waxman , one of the priorities of the FBI is to convince Congress to make domestic terrorism a federal offense. Such a step will increase the powers of the FBI to combat domestic terrorism. President Trump has also hinted at supporting the FBI in its efforts in combatting domestic terrorism by stating that his administration will be at the forefront of creating a worldwide terrorism prevention architecture which will involve all the major stakeholders from the civil societies to the agencies tasked with the prevention of terrorist activities around the world (2012). The advice offered by the FBI during emergencies has led to the creation of many laws which have helped protect the citizens of the United States from the effects of domestic terrorism. However, more need to be done to increase the ability of the FBI to protect American citizens from terrorist attacks.
Ridley and Alexander note that the FBI is involved in the fight against domestic terrorism through collaborating and partnering with other agencies and institutions. Even though the FBI is charged with the responsibility of investigating internal links to terrorism, it must work hand in hand with the CIA to create links and connections to their investigations. Investigations that were carried out after the 9/11 attacks concluded that the attacks would have been avoided if different security agencies had worked together and shared information. After the attack, various policies were adopted to increase interagency collaboration and the sharing of resources (2012). Ridley and Alexander (2012) point out that by collaborating with other agencies, the FBI has been able to successfully identify and neutralize any terrorist threat that arises from within the country. The information provided by other agencies like the CIA facilitates the FBI's efforts to quickly spring into action in the event where there is an identified terrorist threat. The success achieved by the FBI can be attributed to the horizontal and the vertical sharing of information that started after the 9/11 attack in the United States. The trend should, therefore, continue so as to enable different agencies to achieve their goals and protect Americans from terrorist threats.
As Ridley and Alexander argue, one of the primary functions of the FBI is to carry out investigations related to terrorist activities in the country. The investigative role of the FBI has been instrumental in the identification and the stopping of many terrorist attacks that were directed at the United States. In the past, law enforcement agencies would carry out poor investigations which would lead to the arrest of the main suspects in the investigations. However, the suspects would later be released because the investigating officers could not obtain concrete evidence (2012). The FBI stepped in and introduced professionalism in terrorism investigations inside the country. Since it had been noticed that most of the terrorist attacks were carried out by suspects who were known to security agencies, the FBI resorted to making sure that its investigations would always be thorough. Through its investigations, the FBI can track individual radicals in the country and their movement to determine what their plans are ( Ridley & Alexander, 2012) . Investigations have also led to the identification of many terror cells that existed in the United States thus limiting their ability to carry out attacks.
Despite the contribution made by the FBI in the fight against domestic terrorism, many challenges still affect its operations in the country. Waxman (2012) cites the lack of clear laws and policies on dealing with the suspects of domestic terrorism as the main challenge that affects the ability of the FBI to meet its objectives. Most of the suspects of domestic terrorism are still protected by laws which limit the FBI’s ability to conduct thorough investigations. In most cases, suspects in domestic terrorism cases are left scot-free due to the laws that guarantee their rights. Both federal and state governments need to establish clear laws concerning domestic terrorism to provide the FBI with a clear framework to work with.
Another challenge faced by the FBI is the advancement in technology. Technological advancements mean that terrorist groups have also started the use of sophisticated technological tools which make it difficult for the agencies to track and monitor their activities ( Deflem, & Mcdonough, 2015 ). Terrorist groups within the United States can, therefore, communicate without being noticed, further making it difficult for the FBI to counter their activities. Technological advancement has also forced the FBI to spend millions of dollars in upgrading their systems and equipment to better execute their roles of countering domestic terrorism.
According to Ridley and Alexander , there have been complaints regarding the allocation of funds to the FBI to help it execute its functions effectively. It has been observed that the FBI has been poorly funded in the past further limiting the agency’s ability to carry out its mandate as require. Poor funding makes the FBI lack enough resources to carry out investigations and identify domestic terrorist threats effectively. The lack of adequate resources demoralizes FBI agents thus affecting the overall security of the country (2012). Efforts must be made to ensure that the country is well protecting by allocating various security agencies with all the resources and the funds required. Additionally, the funding of security agencies should not be politicized as it may negatively affect their performance.
The frequent change of tactics and mode of operation is another challenge that the FBI faces while combatting domestic terrorism. Waxman notes that the current terrorist organizations are made up of brilliant and educated members who know that to avoid detection, they must frequently change the way they operate and carry out their functions (2012). According to Waxman (2012), such a step creates a problem for the FBI as it will take a long period before the agency can be able to identify a terrorist organization and how it operates inside the United States. It is important for the federal government to identify the challenges facing the FBI as well as other security agencies to provide solutions to their problems. For the country to stay safe from domestic terrorism, the FBI needs to be strengthened through the provision of adequate resources and the enactment of laws that will make it easier for them to carry out investigations without trampling on the rights of citizens.
Conclusion
In summation, the points provided in the paper highlight the importance of the FBI in combatting domestic terrorism. The FBI was founded in 1908 when President Theodore Roosevelt wanted to introduce police powers into the justice department. President Roosevelt was forced to use fiat due to the public and congressional resistance as most concerns raised by the people revolved around the fact that a national police force would extend the federal overreach. The increased terrorist attacks in the 1970s and 80s such as the Beirut attack on the Marines barracks and the bombings of the United States embassy forced the FBI to increase its focus on terrorist activities and how to stop them. The agency got the go-ahead to actively involve itself in counterterrorism activities in 1986 when the United States Congress gave it the mandate to investigate terrorist attacks in foreign countries which had result5ed in the death of American citizens. Congress also granted the FBI powers to make arrests in foreign countries. There are many ways through which the FBI combats terrorism. One of the methods that have been consistently used over the years is through intelligence gathering. The FBI has trained agents who can identify and penetrate terrorist organizations for the main purpose of seeking information about their plans and intentions. By penetrating and joining such terrorist organizations, the agents can get real-time information about the plans of terrorist organizations and then inform the bureau which in turn takes measures to ensure that the plans are not successful. Additionally, the FBI has been at the forefront of advocating for more laws that would support their efforts to prevent domestic terrorism. In several occasions, the FBI has been involved with offering advice and suggestions to lawmakers, especially congress so that they can create laws that can give the FBI the power to investigate, apprehend, and charge domestic terrorism freely.
References
Deflem, M., & Mcdonough, S. (2015). The fear of counterterrorism: Surveillance and civil liberties since 9/11. Society, 52 (1), 70-79. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12115-014- 9855-1
Grozdanova, R. (2014). 'Terrorism' - too elusive a term for an international legal definition? Netherlands International Law Review, 61 (3), 305-334. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0165070X14001351
Rascoff, S., J. (2010). The law of homegrown (counter) terrorism. Texas Law Review, 88 (7), 1715-1749.
Ridley, N., & Alexander, D. C. (2012). Combating terrorist financing in the first decade of the twenty-first century. Journal of Money Laundering Control, 15 (1), 38-57. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13685201211194727
Waxman, M. C. (2012). National security federalism in the age of terror. Stanford Law Review, 64 (2), 289-350.
