Report warns of rise of "right-wing extremists"


In a report made public today, the Department of Homeland Security warns that the recession and the election of President Obama are "fueling resurgence" of right-wing extremist groups that are seeking new recruits, especially returning veterans.
The intelligence assessment suggests that veterans make attractive recruits because of "combat skills and experience" that could boost the "violent capabilities" of radical right groups. Further, it says that any possible new restrictions on gun ownership, combined with vets' trouble reintegrating into their communities during a bad economy, "could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks."
"The high volume of purchases and stockpiling of weapons and ammunition by right-wing extremists in anticipation of restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement," the report states.
Note: Download a copy of the DHS REPORT HERE

Comments

Anonymous said…
JD- Awesome Post here . And I am VERY troubled by this “assessment” (report) I have strongly encouraged many to review this“report” -- BUT, I would be most interested in your perspective on "it's findings". I personally, found the nine-page report quite extraordinary and chilling - likening U.S. Citizens opposed to new firearms restrictions, returning veterans, and (what I might call) "typical conservative republicans" (or constitutional-conservatives) to “rightwing extremists”? What's more, by extension, the report seems to link common ideological views (constitutional gov., pro-second amendment, etc.) with "white supremacists" and other violent anti-government groups? That's a pretty broad brush...and while this report seems to have "pinpointed" the recent economic downturn and general state of the economy for this propagation of “rightwing extremism”, I found no evidence in this report, nor elsewhere (other sources) to quantified any such claim. I can, however, certainly recognize why large swatches of "conservatives", law-abiding gun owners, military veterans, and 'those general opposed to the current political climate' might feel quite threatened and stigmatized by reports like this. At the core, one might argue that reports like this do nothing more than "demonize political decent".
April 15, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Post a Comment