[News] FBI Strategy

[News at freedomarchives.org]

Worth looking at this document to see what the state is thinking. Excerpts 
and hi lights are mine, notably their focus on American Muslims, "Black 
separatists" , prisons, schools, Palestinians, animal rights, 
environmentalists & anarchists + their ongoing attack on communities of 
color under the anti-gang (racketeering - RICO) laws.


Congressional Testimony




Testimony of
Robert S. Mueller, III
Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Before the
Senate Committee on Intelligence of the
United States Senate
February 16, 2005


The potential recruitment of radicalized American Muslim converts continues 
to be a concern and poses an increasingly challenging issue for the FBI 
because the process of recruitment is subtle and many times, self initiated 
and radicalization tends to occur over a long period of time and under many 
different circumstances.

As part of our continued efforts to identify populations that may be a 
target for extremist recruitment, the FBI has been involved in a 
coordinated effort between law enforcement and corrections personnel to 
combat the recruitment and radicalization of prison inmates. Prisons 
continue to be fertile ground for extremists who exploit both a prisoner's 
conversion to Islam while still in prison, as well as their socio-economic 
status and placement in the community upon their release.

Extremist recruitment at schools and universities inside the United States 
also poses a particularly difficult problem. Because the environment on 
campuses is so open and isolated, schools provide a particularly 
impressionable and captive audience for extremists to target.




The Threat from Other International Terrorist Groups

Mr. Chairman, al-Qa'ida and the groups that support it are still the most 
lethal threat we face today. However, other terrorist groups that have a 
presence in the U.S. require careful monitoring.

It is the FBI's assessment, at this time, that there is a limited threat of 
a coordinated terrorist attack in the U.S. from Palestinian terrorist 
organizations, such as HAMAS, the Palestine Islamic Jihad, and the al-Aqsa 
Martyr's Brigade. These groups have maintained a longstanding policy of 
focusing their attacks on Israeli targets in Israel and the Palestinian 
territories. We believe that the primary interest of Palestinian terrorist 
groups in the U.S. remains the raising of funds to support their regional 
goals.

The FBI is committed to staunching the flow of funds from the U.S. to 
Palestinian terrorist organizations. As an example of this effort, the 
former leadership of the Holy Land for Relief and Development, a HAMAS 
front organization, was indicted this past year and convictions were won 
against the Elashi brothers who owned and ran Infocom, another HAMAS front 
organization.

Of all the Palestinian groups, HAMAS has the largest presence in the U.S. 
with a robust infrastructure, primarily focused on fundraising, propaganda 
for the Palestinian cause, and proselytizing. Although it would be a major 
strategic shift for HAMAS, its U.S. network is theoretically capable of 
facilitating acts of terrorism in the U.S.

Like HAMAS, but on a much smaller scale, U.S.-based Palestine Islamic Jihad 
members and supporters are primarily engaged in fundraising, propaganda and 
proselytizing activities. In 2003, the Palestine Islamic Jihad, or PIJ, 
activities and capabilities in the U.S. were severely undercut by the 
arrests of the U.S. PIJ leader, Sami al-Arian, and three of his top 
lieutenants. There have also been two additional arrests of suspected PIJ 
activists on charges unrelated to terrorism. There has been no indication 
of a new U.S. PIJ leadership since the arrest of al-Arian.

Currently, the most likely threat of terrorist attacks from Palestinian 
groups to the U.S. homeland is from a "lone wolf" scenario. In this 
scenario, a terrorist attack would be perpetrated by one or more 
individuals who may embrace the ideology of a Palestinian terrorist group, 
but act without assistance or approval of any established group.

Lebanese Hizballah retains the capability to strike in the U.S., although 
we have no credible information to indicate that US-based Hizballah members 
have plans to attack American interests within the U.S. or abroad. In 2004, 
we had some success in uncovering individuals providing material support to 
Hizballah.
In Detroit, Mahmoud Youssef Kourani was indicted in the Eastern District of 
Michigan on one count of Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to 
Hizballah. Kourani was already in custody for entering the country 
illegally through Mexico and was involved in fundraising activities on 
behalf of Hizballah.
Also in Detroit, Fawzi Assi was arrested in May of 2004 and was charged 
under the 1996 Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act for providing 
material support to Hizballah. Assi was initially arrested in 1998 after an 
outbound US Customs search at the Detroit Metro Airport discovered night 
vision goggles, one thermal imaging scope and two Boeing Global Positioning 
System devices. Assi later fled the country after being released by the 
court on bail but was later turned over to us in Lebanon to face US 
criminal charges.



The Threat from Domestic Terrorism

While national attention is focused on the substantial threat posed by 
international terrorists to the homeland, law enforcement officials must 
also contend with an ongoing threat posed by domestic terrorists based and 
operating strictly within the U.S. Domestic terrorists motivated by a 
number of political or social agendas -- including white supremacists, 
black separatists, animal rights/environmental terrorists, anarchists, 
anti-abortion extremists, and self-styled militia -- continue to employ 
violence and criminal activity in furtherance of these agendas.

Animal rights and environmental extremists, operating under the umbrella of 
the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and Earth Liberation Front (ELF) utilize 
a variety of tactics against their targets, including arson, 
sabotage/vandalism, theft of research animals, and the occasional use of 
explosive devices.

Serious incidents of animal rights/eco-terrorism decreased in 2004, a fact 
we attribute to a series of law enforcement successes that are likely 
deterring large-scale arsons and property destruction. Following a rash of 
serious incidents of animal rights/eco-terrorism, including a $50 million 
arson in San Diego and two bombing incidents in the San Francisco area, law 
enforcement authorities achieved several significant successes which have 
likely deterred additional terrorist activity. Despite these successes, we 
anticipate that animal rights extremism and eco-terrorism will continue to 
threaten certain segments of government and private industry, specifically 
in the areas of animal research and residential/commercial development.

The potential for violence by anarchists and other emerging revolutionary 
groups, such as the Anarchist Black Cross Federation (ABCF), will continue 
to be an issue for law enforcement. The stated goals of the ABCF are "the 
abolishment of prisons, the system of laws, and the Capitalist state." The 
ABCF believes in armed resistance to achieve a stateless and classless 
society. ABCF has continued to organize, recruit, and train anarchists in 
the tactical use of firearms.

US-based black separatist groups follow radical variants of Islam, and in 
some cases express solidarity with al-Qa'ida and other international 
terrorist groups.


Violent Gangs

Violent gangs are more organized, larger, more violent, and more widespread 
than ever before, and they pose a growing threat to the safety and security 
of Americans. The Department of Justice estimates there are approximately 
30,000 gangs with more than 800,000 members in the U.S.

Our communities continue to experience devastating incidences of murder, 
drive-by shootings, and assaults by gangs mainly involved in the sale and 
distribution of illicit drugs. However, gang activity extends far beyond 
protection of turf. It impacts innocent citizens who have no connection or 
involvement with gangs, and it increasingly transcends municipal 
boundaries. Gang members travel from city to city, between states and, on 
occasion, between countries to commit their crimes.

In response, the FBI is implementing a coordinated, intelligence-driven 
National Gang Strategy to disrupt and dismantle gangs that pose the 
greatest threats to America's communities. In the past year, we have 
increased the number of Safe Street Task Forces from 78 to 107 and we are 
seeking to increase the number by an additional 10 to 20 percent in the 
coming year. We are also centralizing gang investigations at FBI 
Headquarters with a new $10 million National Gang Intelligence Center 
(NGIC). The NGIC will collect intelligence on gangs from across the U.S., 
analyze this intelligence, and disseminate it to help law enforcement 
authorities throughout the country plan and execute strategies to prevent 
further gang activity and violence.

The FBI has reclassified gang matters from "violent criminal offenders" to 
"criminal organizations and enterprises" -- a higher priority area. The new 
classification also allows the U.S. Department of Justice to charge gang 
members under federal racketeering statues which can result in stiffer 
prison sentences for convicted subjects. This approach is similar to the 
successful strategy used by the FBI to dismantle traditional organized 
crime groups.

Under the National Gang Strategy, priority is given to efforts to disrupt 
and dismantle gangs that are national in their scope and exhibit 
significant connectivity and internal alliances. Among the first to be 
targeted is Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a violent gang which originated in 
Los Angeles comprised primarily of Central American immigrants. We have 
created a National Gang Task Force specifically to address MS-13.



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