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WASHINGTON: US Representative Jackie Speier sent a letter to President Joe Biden (pix) urging him to issue an executive order that identifies white supremacy and violent extremism as a threat to national security.
Speier, one of the top Democrats who chairs the House Armed Services subcommittee on military personnel, also lobbied federal agencies to screen military recruits and those seeking government security clearances for links to violent extremism on social media.
In her letter dated Friday, Speier said she is alarmed by this growing threat and that the US government and the Department of Defense are not evaluating service members effectively.
“Social media platforms … are frequently used by national terrorist groups to recruit members and plan violent attacks … yet social media is not reviewed during the military accession process or even as part of the vetting process to obtain security clearances, “he said. he said in his letter, which was also addressed to the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, and the Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines.
Earlier this month, Biden directed his administration to conduct a full internal terrorism risk assessment. The assessment will be conducted by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in coordination with the FBI and DHS.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security warned that the United States could face an increased threat of extremist domestic violence for weeks from people angered by the electoral defeat of former President Donald Trump and inspired by the assault on the United States Capitol on 6 from January. Reuters
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