Fact check: How does the FBI define and track politically motivated violence?

1. Summary of the results

The FBI defines domestic terrorism as violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature ^[1]. The FBI tracks domestic terrorism incidents and has developed standard definitions of terminology related to domestic terrorism ^[1]. Additionally, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security have developed uniform methodologies for tracking domestic terrorism incidents ^[2]. Domestic terrorism is generally defined by law as involving criminal acts dangerous to human life on U.S. soil that appear intended to coerce a civilian population or influence or affect the conduct of government ^[3]. The FBI is responsible for leading domestic terrorism-related investigations and intelligence efforts ^[3]. In terms of hate crimes, the FBI defines a hate crime as a committed criminal offense which is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias(es) against a: race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity ^[4]. The FBI releases annual hate crime statistics, which include data on the number of hate crime incidents, offenses, and victims ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

A key point to consider is that the original statement does not provide information on how the FBI specifically tracks politically motivated violence ^{[6] [7]}. Furthermore, the analyses highlight the importance of understanding the contemporary political environment, defined in part by hyperpartisanship and misinformation, which can lead to conditions that are potentially prime for violence ^[7]. The FBI's role in investigating hate crimes includes investigative activities, law enforcement support, public outreach, and training ^[6], but the connection between hate crimes and politically motivated violence is not explicitly stated ^{[6] [7]}. Additionally, the FBI collects and publishes hate crime statistics through the Uniform Crime Reporting Program ^[7], but the extent to which these statistics inform the tracking of politically motivated violence is unclear ^[7].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be too narrow in its focus on domestic terrorism, as it does not account for the broader context of hate crimes and their potential connection to politically motivated violence ^{[6] [7]}. The statement may also overemphasize the role of the FBI in tracking domestic terrorism incidents, without fully considering the contributions of other agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security ^[2]. Moreover, the statement lacks clarity on the specific methodologies used by the FBI to track politically motivated violence, which could lead to confusion or misinformation ^{[6] [7]}. The FBI and other government agencies may benefit from a more nuanced and comprehensive approach to tracking and preventing politically motivated violence ^{[3] [7]}, while community groups and advocacy organizations may benefit from increased transparency and public outreach efforts ^[7].