Homeland Security Department curtails home-grown terror analysis

[kpete]

Source: Washington Post

Homeland Security Department curtails home-grown terror analysis
By R. Jeffrey Smith, Tuesday, June 7, 8:58 AM

The Department of Homeland Security has stepped back for the past two years from conducting its own intelligence and analysis of home-grown extremism, according to current and former department officials, even though law enforcement and civil rights experts have warned of rising extremist threats.

The department has cut the number of personnel studying domestic terrorism unrelated to Islam, canceled numerous state and local law enforcement briefings, and held up dissemination of nearly a dozen reports on extremist groups, the officials and others said.

The decision to reduce the department’s role was provoked by conservative criticism of an intelligence report on “Rightwing Extremism” issued four months into the Obama administration, the officials said. The report warned that the poor economy and Obama’s election could stir “violent radicalization,” but it was pilloried as an attack on conservative ideologies, including opponents of abortion and immigration.

In the two years since, the officials said, the analytical unit that produced that report has been effectively eviscerated. Much of its work — including a digest of domestic terror incidents and the distribution of definitions for terms such as “white supremacist” and “Christian Identity” — has been blocked.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/homeland-security-department-curtails-home-grown-terror-analysis/2011/06/02/AGQEaDLH_story.html

[leveymg]

1. Sounds like what happened to the Bin Laden units during 2001.

We wouldn't want to offend our allies in Saudi Arabia . . . er, Oklahoma.

[gkhouston]

7. And the fallout may end up being tragically similar. n/t

[indepat]

2. Keeping us safe by assiduously allocating resources to give the best bang/results

for the buck spent in all counter-terrorism efforts. :patriot:

[ixion]

3. But don't worry, they're being tough on the pot smokers

so all is well.

[fascisthunter]

4. this really tells me our government is run by the right wing

extremists are pulling the strings and they aren't left wing, but right wing. They act just like the nazis did.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. There was a serious risk

of painting right-wing Christian white males in a negative light.

And we can't have that.

[fascisthunter]

6. yeah, because too many of them are in high positions of power and wealth