Criminal profiling

IT'S TIME TO TURN AMERICA'S PROFILING ARSENAL ON WHITE SUPREMACISTS | OPINION

To fight the scourge of domestic terrorism by white supremacists, we must build profiles, collect actionable intelligence and attempt to identify who might carry out the next attack and where. We can't rely simply on reactive investigations handled by law enforcement. We need intelligence-driven operations handled by counterterrorism agencies.

Many of the laws and resources required for such a fight are already in place—honed by decades of stopping the terrorist plots of extremists who happened to be brown men with beards. While these strategies have certainly led to serious mistakes, ones we must learn from, they have still proved highly effective in the global war on terrorism. Now, it is time to turn them on white supremacists plotting attacks here in America.

There is a fundamental difference between criminal investigations and intelligence collection. Criminal investigations generally occur after a crime has taken place. Intelligence collection detects indications and warnings that an event is about to occur—and neutralizes it before it even happens. Criminal investigations are reactive, while intelligence collection is proactive. And it is this proactive approach that has kept us safe since September 11, 2001.

In the days following 9/11, the full weight of the U.S. government became laser-focused on counterterrorism to prevent the next attack. Nowhere has this proactive approach been more essential than in the Authority for Use of Military Force.