The Justice Department announced it would form a special unit dedicated to domestic terrorism due to the growing threat over the last few years, the head of its national security division told Congress Tuesday. “This group of dedicated attorneys will focus on the domestic terrorism threat, helping to ensure that these cases are handled properly and effectively coordinated across the Department of Justice and across the country,” Matt Olsen told the Senate Judiciary Committee, as first reported by The Washington Post. Olsen said FBI investigations into domestic terror threats have more than doubled since early 2020, and he hopes the new unit will “augment” the existing infrastructure made up of counterterrorism attorneys. The announcement comes days after the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot, with Tuesday’s Senate hearing often consumed by partisan outlooks on the failed insurrection.
