FBI says ‘black identity extremists’ pose growing threat to police
When white supremacists were planning their Charlottesville rally in which one protester was run over and killed, the FBI’s counterterrorism unit identified “black identity extremists” as a growing threat.
The terrorism unit calls the group BIE and said that “perceptions of police brutality against African Americans spurred an increase in premeditated, retaliatory lethal violence against law enforcement,” according to a report obtained by Foreign Policy.
They also cited Michael Brown’s 2014 killing at the hands of a police officer in Ferguson, Mo. As the event that kicked everything into gear. The FBI also said it was “likely the BIE suspects acted in retaliation for perceived past police brutality incidents.”
— ‘Do We Need Bannon To Lynch Someone To Know He’s a White Supremacist?’ —
One of the suspects they are referring to is Micah Johnson, the former Army reservist who shot and killed five cops in Dallas during a peaceful protest against police brutality.
There have actually been fewer law enforcement fatalities this year when compared to the same time last year. In 2016 there were 102 law enforcement deaths and this year there have been 98. In comparison, police have shot and killed 748 people in 2017 so far.
The term “black identity extremists” is a new term that is making plenty of people uncomfortable because it suggests one overarching ideology.
A former homeland security official said, “They are grouping together Black Panthers, black nationalists, and Washitaw Nation.
“Imagine lumping together white nationals, white supremacists, militias, neo-Nazis, and calling it ‘white identity extremists,” the official said. “The race card is being played here deliberately.”
Malcolm Nance who is a counterterrorism expert himself tweeted, “I train law enforcement intelligence in counterterrorism all over nation & “Black Identity Extremism” doesn’t exist. It’s a made up term.”
