From: Subject: Republicans criticize report on right-wing groups Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:01:55 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0012_01C9BE0D.68560550" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3350 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0012_01C9BE0D.68560550 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090416/ap_on_go_co/homeland_security_extremists;_ylt=AoWe2ocAzcjYO3CFW9IPI5UV6w8F;_ylu=X3oDMTJ2aXZjOW9zBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNDE2L2hvbWVsYW5kX3NlY3VyaXR5X2V4dHJlbWlzdHMEY3BvcwM0BHBvcwM0BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDcmVwdWJsaWNhbnNj =EF=BB=BF Republicans criticize report on right-wing = groups
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Republicans criticize report on right-wing groups

AP =E2=80=93 FILE - In = this Wednesday,=20 March 11, 2009 file photo, House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio=20 speaks =E2=80=A6
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By EILEEN SULLIVAN, Associated = Press Writer=20 Eileen Sullivan, Associated Press Writer = =E2=80=93=20 2 hrs 41 mins ago

WASHINGTON =E2=80=93 Republicans on Wednesday said a Homeland Security Department intelligence = assessment=20 unfairly characterizes military veterans as right-wing extremists. House Republican leader John = Boehner=20 described the report as offensive and called on the agency to apologize = to=20 veterans.

The agency's intelligence assessment, sent to law enforcement officials last week, warns = that=20 right-wing extremists could use the bad state of the U.S. economy and = the=20 election of the country's first black president to recruit members.

The assessment also said that returning military veterans who have=20 difficulties assimilating back into their home communities could be = susceptible=20 to extremist recruiters or might engage in lone acts of violence.

"To characterize men and women returning home after defending our = country as=20 potential terrorists is offensive and unacceptable," said Boehner, = R-Ohio.

The commander of the veterans group the American Legion, David Rehbein, wrote to = Homeland Security Secretary = Janet=20 Napolitano expressing concern with the assessment, which made its = way=20 into the mainstream press after conservative bloggers got wind of the=20 analysis.

Rehbein called the assessment incomplete and said it lacked = statistical=20 evidence. He said the 1995 Oklahoma=20 City bombing by military veteran Timothy McVeigh was one instance of a = veteran becoming=20 a domestic terrorist.

"To continue to use McVeigh as an example of the stereotypical = 'disgruntled=20 military veteran' is as unfair as using Osama bin Laden as the sole example of = Islam," Rehbein=20 said in the April 13 letter.

Napolitano defended the assessment and others issued by the = agency.

"Let me be very clear =E2=80=94 we monitor the risks of violent = extremism taking root=20 here in the United States," Napolitano said in a statement. "We don't = have the=20 luxury of focusing our efforts on one group; we must protect the country = from=20 terrorism whether foreign or homegrown, and regardless of the ideology = that=20 motivates its violence."

Napolitano said the department respects and honors veterans and that = she=20 intends to meet with Rehbein next week after she returns from a tour of = the=20 U.S.-Mexico border and meetings in Mexico City.

The agency describes these assessments as part of a series published = "to=20 facilitate a greater understanding of the phenomenon of violent = radicalization=20 in the United States."

In February, the department issued a report to law enforcement that = said=20 left-wing extremist = groups were=20 likely to use cyber attacks more often in the next 10 years to further = their=20 cause.

In September, the agency highlighted how right-wing extremists over = the past=20 five years have used the immigration debate as a recruiting tool.

Between September 2008 and Feb. 5, the agency issued at least four = reports,=20 obtained by The Associated Press, on individual extremist groups such as = the=20 Moors, Vinlanders Social = Club,=20 Volksfront and = Hammerskin=20 Nation.

But the references to military veterans in the recent report angered=20 conservatives.

"The department is engaging in political and ideological profiling of = people=20 who fought to keep our country safe from terrorism, uphold our nation's = immigration laws, and = protect our=20 constitutional right to keep and bear arms," said Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla.,

Texas Rep. Lamar = Smith=20 accused the department of painting "law-abiding Americans, including = war veterans, as = 'extremists.'"

Indiana Rep. Steve = Buyer,=20 the ranking Republican on the House=20 Veterans' Affairs committee, said it was "inconceivable" that the = administration would consider military veterans a potential terrorist = threat.

___

On the Net:

Homeland Security Department: http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm

<= /DIV>

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