The FBI and recent domestic terrorist events
In response to Gene Robke’s July 2 letter – The FBI reports these recent domestic terrorist events: San Bernardino shootings (Islamists); Boston Marathon bombing (Islamists), Charleston church massacre (disaffected racist loner); Fort Hood murders (Islamist); shooting of Wisconsin Sikh center (right-winger); Orlando nightclub massacre, (disaffected Islamist). These occurred under President Barack Obama’s two terms, but I don’t blame him at all. I could not find a single event labeled as terrorism in the past six months on the FBI website, which I trust more than Snopes or his other sources which are opinion sites. I reviewed every news item on the FBI site since January 2017. Listed were multiple cases of individuals arrested and many convicted for providing material aid to ISIL/ISIS. The incident in Portland has not been labeled as terrorism due to the mental state of the shooter. Only the FBI can label a crime as a terrorist act based on Federal law, not Snopes or Think Progress. As for gun laws, there are plenty on the books; they need to be enforced. Readers can judge his comment on Catholics.
Phil Henning, Smithton
This story was originally published July 19, 2017 at 12:04 PM with the headline "The FBI and recent domestic terrorist events."