The Federal Bureau of Investigation is turning toward counseling as an alternative approach to jail to deal with would-be Islamic State recruits in the United States.
The Wall Street Journal reported:
Federal and local officials working on counterterrorism say the logistical challenges posed by Islamic State’s propaganda—its slick online messages are readily available to anyone—make it difficult to address the problem solely through traditional investigations. Proponents of the intervention model say it provides a possible "off ramp" from radicalization and addresses a hard truth: The FBI cannot effectively investigate all of the thousands of Americans who are believed to be interested in Islamic State.
The counseling alternative is particularly geared toward possible teenage Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIL or ISIS) recruits, who are difficult to prosecute under the federal criminal justice system.
"Nobody wants to see a 15-year-old kid go to jail if they don’t have to," insisted one official behind the effort, claiming that the FBI will continue to investigate a possible suspect even after recommending he or she undergo counseling. If the individual is ultimately deemed dangerous, he said, officials would choose to arrest the subject.
Nevertheless, former FBI counterterrorism agent Peter Ahearn expressed alarm at the idea.
"I get the principle, but there are a lot of potential problems with this, and I think it’s a wrong move," Ahearn said. "I’m not saying it shouldn’t be done but it shouldn’t be done by the FBI. That’s not the mission."
Officials foresee 10 percent or less of the individuals undergoing investigation in cases of possible terrorism receiving recommendations for counseling. But the number could reach into the hundreds, as the FBI currently has thousands of cases involving possible terror suspects.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which is partnering with the FBI on efforts to fight violent extremism, said, "DHS believes successful interventions will be ones conducted with the appropriate participation of community leaders, educators, mental health professionals, religious leaders, parents, peers and law enforcement, depending on the specific circumstances."
This isn’t the first instance of leaders suggesting alternatives to jail for suspected would-be Islamic State recruits.
Last month, Muslim leaders in Minnesota--a hot recruitment spot for terrorists--argued that the best way to discourage Somali-Americans caught trying to join the IS from embracing radical Islam is to allow them to remain in their communities while awaiting trial.
Rep. Keith Ellison (D., Minn.), himself a Muslim, spoke in favor of such a design, saying, "If you integrate them back into their family relationships and you have responsible faith leaders, then that’s going to be the check on them that they need."