FBI Document Claims Conspiracy-Theory ‘Extremists’ Are a Terror Threat
The FBI has for the first time identified “conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists” as a terror threat — including the believers in the shadowy QAnon network, according to a report.
An FBI bulletin dated May 30, 2019, from the bureau’s Phoenix field office and obtained by Yahoo News describes the growing threat and lists multiple arrests tied to violent incidents sparked by fringe beliefs.
“The FBI assesses these conspiracy theories very likely will emerge, spread, and evolve in the modern information marketplace, occasionally driving both groups and individual extremists to carry out criminal or violent acts,” the document states.
The feds believe the conspiracy theory extremists will likely increase their activities during the 2020 presidential election cycle, according to the document cited by Yahoo.
The bureau said another factor driving the mounting threat is “the uncovering of real conspiracies or cover-ups involving illegal, harmful, or unconstitutional activities by government officials or leading political figures.”
The FBI does not specify which people or cover-ups it was referring to.