Terrorists

Home grown terrorists are the United States’ biggest threat

Some people who knew Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran and father of three from Beaumont, were stunned to learn he was the driver who mowed down New Year’s Day revelers in New Orleans. A former classmate described him to as a good student, and a neighbor said Jabbar would help her carry her groceries.

But the husband of Jabbar’s ex-wife said Jabbar had been behaving erratically in recent months. Shortly before the massacre, Jabbar, 42, posted videos online in which he pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Authorities said Thursday that Jabbar, who was killed by police, acted alone.

President-elect Donald Trump reacted to the tragedy on social media by suggesting the attack was the work of a foreign actor: “When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true.”

Jabbar, however, was a native-born citizen, one who was honorably discharged from the military in 2020. It should alarm all of us that this man was likely radicalized in the US, as were other Americans who have recently made headlines for their crimes. News coverage points to fellow citizens who have become extremists for a diverse spectrum of cause and ideologies.

Our nation cannot let our guard down against international terrorism, but the biggest threat we face comes from inside the house. Outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray testified in Congress in 2023 that “the greatest terrorism threat to our homeland” are lone actors or small groups in the US inspired by foreign terrorist organizations, as well as domestic extremists with their own political and social goals disconnected from foreign terrorism.

Consider the case of Luigi Mangione, the 26-yearold charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December in Manhattan. Mangione, an Ivy League graduate who enjoyed a privileged upbringing in Baltimore, wrote a manifesto decrying the health care industry. He faces state terror and murder charges in New York.

All of this bloodshed is the product of homegrown hate. The New Orleans killer was inspired by foreign terrorists, and he carried their flag, but he was one of our own. Our intelligence agencies and political leaders must get a better understanding of how so many Americans become radicalized so we can do something about it. — Dallas Morning News