Extremist Acts in America Not Limited to Jihadist Threat

This week's White House Summit focuses on Islamic extremist ideology, but research shows other sources of terrorism also pose serious threat

Naseen Kashfh looks on during a news conference in front of the Oakland Federal Building to speak out against a proposed military campaign against ISIS on February 17, 2015 in Oakland, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

At the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism where representatives from over 60 countries have convened to discuss best counter-terrorism practices, the focus has been on terrorists who claim legitimacy from Islamic ideology.

President Barack Obama made clear the theme of the summit was the threat of Islamic extremists. In his remarks on Wednesday, he mentioned recent terror attacks in Paris, France, Copenhagen, Denmark, and Ottawa, Canada, as well as the aggressive recruitment efforts of the terrorist group ISIS.

While the president said that the public should not recognize the extremist groups’ perversion of Islam—saying, “no religion is responsible for terrorism. People are responsible”—the summit has concentrated on ways to prevent people of Muslim faith from radicalizing and becoming a violent extremist.

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