ADL Praises Inclusion of Domestic Terror in New Counterterrorism Strategy - Statement

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th October, 2018) The Trump administration's new National Counterterrorism Strategy is right to acknowledge domestic terrorism as one of the threats facing the United States, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement on Friday.

"While the strategy is primarily focused on the Islamist extremist threat, the administration's plan acknowledges the wide range of threats faced by the United States, including domestic terrorists. This is an important recognition," Greenblatt said.

However, Greenblatt said the administration would only undermine its strategy if it continued to scapegoat Muslims, refugees, immigrants and other marginalized communities.

ADL data shows non-Islamic terrorism is the most lethal extremist threat in the United States, and as the strategy noted, white-supremacist groups and anti-government extremists are on the rise, Greenblatt added.

US President Donald Trump announced the new counterterrorism strategy on Thursday, which called for enacting a domestic terrorism statue and improving Federal response to hate crimes as well as strategies for the broader war on terror.