Experts are increasingly alarmed by the escalating menace of online extremism and political polarization in the United States.
The recent ISIS-inspired attack in New Orleans showed how certain factors create a “perfect storm” for radicalization. Finding and connecting with extremist groups online is easier than ever, and the threat is now more serious.
“What the FBI and law enforcement, in general, are dealing with right now is a threat landscape that is both diverse and complicated,” said Seamus Hughes, a senior researcher and policy associate with the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center at the University of Nebraska Omaha. “That makes things a little harder for law enforcement.”
The ideas behind these attacks are getting more varied, making it harder for law enforcement to keep track of and reduce these threats. Right now, the main terrorism threat to the United States comes from individual attackers influenced by a range of extreme beliefs.
“We have a level of polarization in the U.S. that’s an important factor,” Hughes continued. “The online environment has algorithms that are set up to make you angry. And all that is playing into a perfect storm of factors that are leading to an increase in radicalization.”
Right-wing beliefs have been behind over 70% of extremist attacks and domestic terror plots in the U.S. since 2002, as reported by the Anti-Defamation League.
“Radicalization is not the problem,” John Horgan, a psychologist and director of the Violent Extremism Research Group at Georgia State University, stated. “The problem is mobilization to violence. We’re seeing more and more people sort of pick and choose their own ideology to suit their own grievances. They look to find a reason to make sense of what they have already decided they want to do.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray referred to the phenomenon as “salad bar extremism,” where individuals mix and match ideologies to justify their actions.
According to officials, individuals frequently selectively adopt ideologies to rationalize their actions, seeking affirmation for choices they have previously made.
Authorities have said that the rise of online extremism and political division is a serious threat to national security, highlighting the need for active measures to prevent radicalization and reduce violent incidents.
