Fact check: Which extremist groups have been responsible for the most fatalities in the US over the past decade?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided suggest that far-right extremist groups have been responsible for the majority of fatalities in the US over the past decade ^[1]. According to the ADL Center on Extremism, far-right extremists were responsible for 328 of 429 extremist-related murders (76% of fatalities) ^[1]. This finding is supported by GAO data on domestic terrorism incidents, which shows that the largest category of lethal attacks were racially- or ethnically-motivated, aligning with far-right extremist activity ^[2]. Additionally, the data indicates that anti-government/anti-authority motivated extremism was the second largest category, also contributing to fatalities ^[2]. Other sources, such as ^[2] and ^[3], provide further context on the rise of domestic terrorism incidents and the motivations behind them, including partisan political beliefs ^[3]. Right-wing extremist violence is consistently reported as more frequent and deadly than left-wing violence ^{[4] [5] [6]}. For example, one source cites the 2015 Charleston church shooting and the 2019 El Paso Walmart massacre as examples of deadly right-wing extremist violence ^[6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

While the majority of the analyses point to far-right extremist groups as the primary perpetrators of extremist violence, there is a lack of discussion on the specific ideologies and motivations within these groups ^[1]. Additionally, some sources, such as ^[7], provide information on domestic terrorism incidents but do not specifically address the question of which extremist groups are responsible for the most fatalities ^[7]. Alternative viewpoints, such as the notion that left-wing groups are responsible for the most fatalities, are contradicted by the data ^{[4] [5]}. However, it is essential to consider the complexities of domestic terrorism and the various factors that contribute to extremist violence. The role of partisan political beliefs and the rise of anti-government sentiment are important context to consider ^[3]. Furthermore, the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) provides a comprehensive overview of terrorist attacks, but does not offer specific insights into the extremist groups responsible for the most fatalities in the US ^[7].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement asks which extremist groups have been responsible for the most fatalities in the US over the past decade, without providing any context or assumptions about the potential answers. However, some sources suggest that the notion of left-wing groups being responsible for the most fatalities is a misconception ^{[4] [5]}. The data consistently shows that far-right extremist groups are responsible for the majority of fatalities, which may contradict some political narratives or biases ^{[1] [6]}. It is crucial to approach this topic with a nuanced understanding of the complexities of domestic terrorism and to consider multiple sources and perspectives ^{[2] [3]}. By doing so, we can work to prevent the spread of misinformation and promote a more informed discussion about extremist violence ^{[4] [5] [6]}.