Domestic terrorists subject of endless intelligence reports. Ho ho hum.
FBI and homeland security domestic threat reports in 2022
Here is listing of select threat reports issued by the government in 2022, a little window into the vast intelligence apparatus that seeks out domestic law-breaking (and potential law-breaking). This type of contemporaneous list has never before been published and is based on my review of reports circulating on the Homeland Security Information Network.
The evergeen threats to critical infrastructure and the government, to various portrayals of so-called “extremist” activity as a network, and to foreign government meddling dominate the reporting. But in 2022, there were a couple of new areas of focus: the connection between domestic white supremacist groups and Russia (or other white nationalists) and the threat of attack drones.
Some subjects are evergreen for the government domestic threat hunters, the official priorities being damage and violence that breaks the law (or might break the law) — always with the view first of the government protecting itself from the people, that is, that threats to threat hunters themselves is the highest priority. Two events during the year — the national elections and the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade — also drove some threat reporting, though the FBI and homeland security’s predictions of violence proved largely wrong. Social media was also a dominating issue, specifically “online domestic violent extremist discourse” as one August report reported.
I don’t have all of these reports, though I’ve posted a few in full of those I did obtain as examples. January 6th continues to be the lubricant of the homeland security agencies, driving more and more domestic intelligence collection trying to uncover “threats” to America. Not surprisingly, to the feds, the threats are everywhere.
I’ve pulled together a sense of the narrative dealing with domestic terrorism as the government defines it (see this post about domestic terrorism for some background), excluding those reports dealing with al Qaeda, ISIS or other foreign threats, as well as the Niagara of cyber security threat reports. As far as I can tell, virtually all of these reports are pretty simple, general to the point of laughable. They do not suggest some omnipotent government that knows everything (or anything). I get the impression that mostly the domestic hunters are just going through the motions of stating the obvious: that this event or that group could turn violent. Could. No one wants to be responsible for the next 9/11 that occurs without warning (or another January 6th), though the big question is: with all of this monitoring, how did the giant homeland security appartus do so miserably in detecting what happened at the Capitol. It all seems like a general ass covering that is too vague to be useful and too voluminous to be digested.
Reports issued by month:
January 2022
Assessment of 20 Years of Extremist Violence in the U.S.
DVEs Share Tactics for Conducting Attacks and Maintaining Resilience.
Domestic Violent Extremist Threats to Electricity Infrastructure.
DHS, Warning of Potential for Cyber Attacks Targeting the United States in the Event of a Russian Invasion of Ukraine.
Quarterly Report on Violent Extremist Threats to Critical Infrastructure.
February 2022
Extremist Propaganda and Violent Incidents Nexus.
DVEs Discuss Targeting Power Grid.
Violent Extremism Early Risk Factors.
Unmanned Aircraft System Used against Critical Infrastructure.
DVEs Discuss Conducting Targeted Attacks.
Domestic Violent Extremist Activity Guidebook.
Truck Convoy Organizers Rally Supporters and Share Cross-Country Itinerary from California to D.C.
Terrorists Could Instigate the Next Global Pandemic.
March 2022
Possible Domestic Support for Foreign Terrorist Group, Given Recent Counterterrorism Events.
The Next Foreign Fighter Threat? DVEs Seek Tactical Experience in Ukraine.
April 2022
Sovereign Citizen Extremist Movement in the U.S., Extremist Movement in the U.S., Australia, and Canada.
German Violent Extremist Plot to Cause Nationwide Blackout Demonstrates Continuing Threats of Accelarationism.
FBI, Racially or Ethnically Motivated Groups: Symbols Guide.
May 2022
Learn, Imitate, Innovate: A Comparison of How Terrorists and Extremists Identify their Targets and Tactics.
FBI Flash: Threat Actors Conducting Increased Reconnaissance of U.S. Energy Networks.
FBI, Foreign Actors Engaging in Transnational Repression Domestically.
New Jersey Office of Homeland Security, Anti-Government Extremists.
DHS I&A, Potential for Threats to Public Safety in Response to Abortion Debate.
The Evolution of Militia Violent Extremism in the U.S.
Buffalo Mass Shooting Highlights Threats of Accelerationism and Lone Actors.
DVE Group Actively Recruiting New Members and Discussing Targeting Power Grid.
June 2022
Overview of Major Threats to the U.S. Homeland in 2022.
New Publication on Terrorgram Encourages Attacks on Critical Infrastructure.
New Jersey Office of Homeland Security, Abortion Extremists Committed to Intimidating Opponents.
How Domestic Violent Extremists Learn from the Islamic State’s Use of Emerging Technologies.
Recent Mass Shootings Likely to Drive Increased Threat from Domestic Violent Extremists.
DVE Group Seeking to Recruit New Members and Discussing Various Targets.
DHS I&A, Domestic Violent Extremist Activity Likely in Response to US Supreme Court Decision on Abortion.
Examining the Eco-Fascist Threat.
Understanding and Addressing Domestic Violent Extremism.
Reports Examine Extremists’ and Terrorists’ Use of Firearms and other Weapons in Attacks.
July 2022
Understanding the Radicalization Process of Domestic Violent Extremists.
Examining the Transnational Nexus of Domestic Violent Extremists.
Active Shooter Threat Analysis and Mitigation Report.
Domestic Violent Extremists Continue to Demonstrate Resilience following Online Platform Suspensions.
Use of Memes by Violent Extremists.
Examining Domestic Violent Extremist Activity on Social Media.
Leader of Domestic Violent Extremist Group discusses Merits of Physical or Cyber Attacks Against Critical Infrastructure.
Domestic Violent Extremist Group Shares Terrorgram Publication and Foreign Terrorist Propaganda Material with its Followers.
FBI, Telephoic Hoax Bomb Threats Directed Towards Universities and Colleges Nationwide.
August 2022
FBI, Threats to Election Workers Likely More Prevalent in States with Recounts, Audits or Public Election Disputes.
FBI, Impact of Al-Qa’ida Overall Leader’s Death on Threat to the United States.
Domestic Violent Extremists Create Alternative Online Forum Following Repeated Online Platform Suspension, Further Highlighting their Resilience.
NCTC, First Responder’s Toolbox – U.S. Violent Extremist Mobilization Indicators Case Study.
DHS I&A, Online Foreign Influence Snapshot: August 2022.
DHS/FBI, Violent Threats Against Federal Law Enforcement, Courts, and Government Personnel and Facilities Following Court-Authorized Search.
Threat environment following court authorized search.
Overview of Domestic Violent Extremist Activity in the U.S.
Characteristic of Online Domestic Violent Extremist Discourse.
Boston Regional Intelligence Center, Attack at Russian School by Swastika-Wearing Gunman.
September 2022
Risk to Soft Targets from Drones.
9/11 Anniversary Threats.
Five Trends Driving the Future of Violent Extremism.
Domestic Violent Extremists Seek to Exploit Extreme Weather by Promoting Attacks on Critical Infrastructure.
Islamic State Leader Calls for Lone Wolf Attacks in the U.S. to Spark a Civil War.
FBI Active Shooter Incidents Quick Look Report.
DHS, Beijing Probably Seeking to Influence Outcomes in Select US Midterm Races Involving Perceived Regime Opponents.
Florida Fusion Center, Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremist-White Supremacist Accelerationist Groups Use Element Messenger for Recruitment.
October 2022
Domestic Violent Extremists Discuss Ways of Promoting Propaganda Material that Advocates Attacks on Critical Infrastructure.
Past Domestic Violent Extremists Connections to Foreign Violent Extremists.
Domestic Violent Extremists Release Propaganda Film Commemorating Previous Mass-Casualty Attacks.
NCTC First Responder’s Toolbox: Reporting Suspicious Activity – Critical for Terrorism Prevention.
NCTC First Responder’s Toolbox: Emerging Technologies May Heighten Terrorist Threats.
Domestic Violent Extremists Encourage Attacks Against Critical Infrastructure Targets.
Domestic Violent Extremist Publication Provides Specific Recommendations for Maintaining Organizational Resilience.
November 2022
DHS NTAS, Summary of the Terrorism Threat to the United States.
U.S. Midterm Elections Potential Physical Security Threats.
DHS, Cybersecurity Implications of Artificial Intelligence.
Recent Domestic Violent Extremist Publications.
Examining the Violent Extremist Threat Landscape – Ideological Leaderless Resistance in the Digital Age.
Understanding Bystander Interventions to Prevent Terrorism.
Threats to Public-Facing ICS Devices.
New Jersey Office of Homeland Security, Domestic Violent Extremist Attack and Plot Trends 2021-2022.
Domestic Violent Extremists Discuss Ways of Maintaining Operational Security.
Notable Scanning Against Critical Infrastructure.
Domestic Violent Extremists Discuss Target Selection and Conducting Pre-operational Activities.
Evolving Terrorist and Violent Threat Landscape.
December 2022
DHS, National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletins and Alerts – Updated December 1, 2022.
Recent Mass Shooting Demonstrates Enduring Risk of Insider Threats.
Islamic State Leader Killed in Syria as Western Nations Maintain Pressure to Prevent Group’s Resurgence.
Understanding the Growing Trend of “Composite Violent Extremism.”
Plot to Overthrow German State: Latest High-Profile Example of Domestic Violent Extremism in the West.
Intentional Attacks on North Carolina Electric Substations Result in Power Disruptions for Thousands.
Domestic Violent Extremists Announce Mass Suspension from Online Platform.