WASHINGTON — According to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office, the FBI's number of open domestic terrorism-related cases grew by 357% from 2013 through 2021.
The report said there were 231 attacks or plots in 42 states that resulted in 145 deaths. Domestic extremist attacks were "perpetrated and promoted by a broad range of individuals and groups," according to the GAO.
The largest category: 35% were classified as racially- or ethnically-motivated violent extremists.
In second place at 32% were anti-government and anti-authority violent extremists.
Also making the list are anti-abortion violent extremists and animal rights violent extremists.
GAO Homeland Security and Justice Team Managing Director Charles Johnson Jr. called the spike in cases, "significant."
"The FBI and DHS [Department of Homeland Security] have noted the significant increase in the domestic threats. It's been something that's been talked about for a couple of years now in terms of the number of cases investigated of violent extremism more than doubling since 2020," he said in an interview Friday with 13News Now.
Johnson continued: "For awareness, everyone needs to understand that we all should be aware there is a serious threat to our homeland, a domestic-based homegrown threat."
The report said firearms were the most commonly used weapons.
The GAO urged the FBI and DHS to do a better job of sharing information and coordination.