DOJ to name coordinator to oversee domestic terror cases
WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department is creating a new position to coordinate investigations into violent homegrown extremism.
John Carlin, head of the department's national security division, announced the new position at a speech Wednesday at George Washington University.
"Just this week, we appointed a new Domestic Terrorism Counsel to serve as our main point of contact for U.S. Attorneys working on domestic terrorism matters," Carlin said.
The new counsel will "play a key role in our headquarters-level efforts to identify trends to help shape our strategy, and to analyze legal gaps or enhancements required to ensure we can combat these threats."
Though Carlin routinely speaks about the threat posed by the Islamic State, his speech Wednesday was more focused on violent extremists inspired by racist and anti-government ideologies.
He said more Americans have been killed in recent years in attacks by domestic extremists than in attacks associated with international terrorist groups.
"Today is a good opportunity to focus the conversation broadly on violent extremism here in America. The threat ranges from individuals motivated by anti-government animus, to eco-radicalism, to racism, as it has for decades," he said.
The Justice Department, he added, will seek to improve coordination between investigations and prosecutions and actively explore options to address sources of violent extremism.
Carlin named the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995 and the attack earlier this year in Charleston, South Carolina when a young man killed nine black men and women attending a bible class as examples of domestic terrorism the administration is trying to prevent.
CBS News' Paula Reid contributed to this report