01/15/2020 - A Persistent and Evolving Threat: An Examination of the Financing.. - (EventID=110369)

Wednesday, January 15, 2020 (10:00 AM) -- A Persistent and Evolving Threat: An Examination of the Financing of Domestic Terrorism and Extremism Connect with the House Financial Services Committee Get the latest news: https://financialservices.house.gov/ Follow us on Facebook:   / financialdems   Follow us on Twitter:   / fscdems   ________________ This hearing will have a single panel with the following witnesses: • The Honorable Jared Maples, Director, Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, State of New Jersey • Rena Miller, Specialist in Financial Economics, Congressional Research Service • George Selim, Senior Vice President for Programs, Anti-Defamation League • Lecia Brooks, Chief Workplace Transformation Officer, Southern Poverty Law Center • Mary B. McCord, Legal Director, Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, Georgetown Law Purpose This hearing will examine domestic terrorism, how financial institutions(FIs) and law enforcement officials track the financing of domestic terrorist groups and individual terrorists today; the challenges posed in achieving a more robust financial tracking regime for this purpose; and the models and approaches that might be useful to countering domestic terrorist financing. Domestic Terrorists While definitions vary across statutes, agencies, and research organizations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines domestic terrorists as individuals or groups who commit violent criminal acts in furtherance of ideological goals stemming from domestic influences. Most FBI cases classified as domestic terrorism fall into one of four categories: racially motivated violent extremism, anti-government/anti-authority extremism, animal rights/environmental extremism, and anti-abortion extremism. Regardless of the underlying ideology, for the FBI to investigate, there must be activity intended to advance a political or social goal. Further, this activity, wholly or in part, must involve force, coercion, or violence in violation of federal law (see Appendix A). This is distinct from international terrorism committed in the United States, which includes investigations into members of designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) and state sponsors of terrorism where bad actors may have received direction, training, finances, and other material support from the terrorist group of which they are a member. For the FBI, the definition of international terrorism also includes homegrown violent extremists (HVEs) who are individuals inside the United States who were radicalized here at home – often natural-born citizens but can include anyone who has largely been a resident in the U.S. – and whose bad acts are inspired, but not individually directed by, by these FTOs (see Appendix A). According to the FBI, there has been a sharp rise in domestic terrorism incidents. In testimony before House Committee in May 2019, the FBI Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division, Michael C. McGarrity, said that: There have been more arrests and deaths in the United States caused by domestic terrorists than international terrorists in recent years…Racially-motivated violent extremists are responsible for the majority of lethal attacks and fatalities perpetrated by domestic terrorists since 2000. ... Federal Authorities to Counter International and Domestic Terrorism When international terrorism is suspected and where HVEs might act on their radicalization, the FBI and others can work proactively to pursue information about prospective offenses. There are several authorized resources available to counter international terrorism, including powers from the USA PATRIOT Act, such as electronic surveillance, delayed notification of search warrants, and orders to obtain business and bank records through Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Courts. Financing of Domestic Terrorism and Extremism Similarly, these definitions affect how and when FIs look for evidence of these bad acts. After the attacks of September 11, 2011, Congress required FIs to ensure that money launderers and terrorists were not abusing their institutions or the financial system. This means that banks, money service businesses, and other FIs must “know their customers” and monitor transactions to seek out activity like money laundering or terrorism financing. Since domestic terrorism is not technically a crime and because hate crimes do not fall under the categories outlined in the Bank Secrecy Act, FIs are not expected to direct their programs at these challenges. While FIs train to understand and identify customers that may be human traffickers or supporters of international terror finance networks, they do not focus on identifying customers engaged in violent anti-Semitism or support for right wing extremist groups.... Hearing Page: https://financialservices.house.gov/c...