domestic terrorism

[duh-mes-tik ter-uh-riz-uhm]

noun

1. the unlawful use of violence or threats against a country’s civilian population or government by an individual or group based and operating within the same country and without foreign direction, with the goal of furthering political, social, or ideological objectives.

Usage

See terrorism.

Other Word Forms

• domestic terrorist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of domestic terrorism¹

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

Jessica Chastain, who stars in Apple TV+’s ‘The Savant,’ which is about domestic terrorism, publicly challenged the streamer’s decision to halt the show’s release.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Apple TV+ on Tuesday said it would be delaying the release of the show about domestic terrorism, which follows an investigator who infiltrates online hate groups.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“While the FBI has confirmed that antifa and other extremists are subjects of ongoing domestic terrorism investigations, it declines to designate any organization a “‘domestic terrorist organization,” a 2020 congressional report said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Based on government and independent analyses, right-wing extremist violence has been responsible for the overwhelming majority of fatalities, amounting to approximately 75% to 80% of U.S. domestic terrorism deaths since 2001.

Read more on Salon

In the US, which has seen many incidents of violence from sovereign citizens, the FBI has for at least 15 years seen them as a domestic terrorism threat.

Read more on BBC