Washington, Aug 14 (EFE).- US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday that the attack over the weekend by a man who drove into counter-protesters following the cancellation of a planned white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing a woman, was an act of “domestic terrorism.”
“It does meet the definition of domestic terrorism in our statute,” Sessions said in an interview. Saturday on the ABC network, after his department announced Saturday the opening of a federal investigation into the incident, in which a young woman was killed and more than 20 people were injured
Calling the attack “domestic terrorism” is more symbolic than practical, since that definition does not imply additional punishment, but it is important for those who complain that the word “terrorism” is only used when the attacker is a Muslim.
Under the USA Patriot Act, enacted after the terrorist attacks in New York on Sept. 11, 2001, a violation of state or federal laws is “domestic terrorism” if it appears intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population.
James Alex Fields, a 20-year-old white man known for his neo-Nazi ideas, slammed his car into a group of demonstrators protesting against a “Unite the Right” march by white supremacists, an attack in which Heather Heyer, 32, was killed
The attacker, who has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and leaving the scene of a wreck, will appear in court on Monday.
“You can be sure we will charge and advance the investigation toward the most serious charges that can be brought because this is unequivocally an unacceptable evil attack,” Attorney General Sessions said.
Fiscal general dice que ataque de Charlottesville es “terrorismo doméstico”
El fiscal general, Jeff Sessions, dijo hoy que el “horrendo ataque” del sábado en Charlottesville (Virginia), donde un joven neonazi arrolló con su coche a un grupo de manifestantes antirracistas, cumple los preceptos legales para ser considerado “terrorismo doméstico”.
“Cumple la definición de terrorismo doméstico en nuestro estatuto”, afirmó hoy Sessions en una entrevista en la cadena ABC, después de que su Departamento anunciara este fin de semana que ha abierto una investigación de derechos civiles sobre el suceso, en el que falleció una joven y varias personas resultaron heridas.
La importancia de que el ataque se declare “terrorismo doméstico” es más simbólica que práctica, ya que esta denominación no acarrea penas adicionales pero sí es clave para quienes denuncian que solo se usa la palabra terrorismo cuando el atacante es una persona musulmana.