NCJ Number
193139
Date Published
2001
Length
31 pages
Annotation
This chapter examines six case studies of domestic terrorism and political extremism: Randy Weaver and the incident in Ruby Ridge, Idaho in 1992; the Federal assault on the Branch Davidian Complex in Waco Texas in 1993; the World Trade Center bombing in New York in 1993; the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995; the standoff with the Freemen of Montana in 1996; and the Unabomber case.
Abstract
The cases reviewed in this chapter demonstrate the many manifestations of political extremism and domestic terrorism in the United States. The actions of the extremists in this chapter included threats, stockpiling of weapons, Federal gun violations, bombings, and murders. The motivations and explanations for the actions by the violators ranged from anti-government positions, opposition to American Western culture, and U.S. interests abroad to survivalists, supporters of a particular religious teaching, and a lone individual who objected to technological developments. The bombing of the Federal building in Oklahoma City showed that domestic violence could be accomplished in the United States by a person who wanted to highlight a concern. The World Trade Center bombing showed that international terrorists could retaliate against the United States by attacking Americans within their own boundaries. The events in Waco, Texas, Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and Freemen of Montana demonstrated what happens when people or groups believed to be extremist or terrorist take a stand against Federal, State, and local law enforcement. These cases demonstrate the difficult questions about individual liberties and the Federal Government’s role in curbing alleged acts of domestic terrorism. It is also evident that there needs to be a reexamination of America’s vulnerability to terrorism, whether it is perpetrated by its own citizens or by international terrorists. References