Story highlights The issue involves the use of the term "Black Identity Extremists" in an FBI report

A law enforcement official confirmed the authenticity of the report to CNN

Washington (CNN) FBI Director Christopher Wray continued to fend off questions over a controversial bureau report that linked black extremists to violence against police officers, this time at a House hearing Thursday.

His public explanation of the internal intelligence assessment on "Black Identity Extremists" followed a nearly two-hour meeting with lawmakers from the Congressional Black Caucus one day earlier. Criticism has grown for weeks from members of Congress and activist groups after the document was first published by the news organization Foreign Policy in October

Speaking after the meeting Wednesday CBC Chairman Cedric Richmond said the discussion with Wray was like a "breath of fresh air" and said the director understood their outrage with the report.

"He owns it and he understands our frustration with it and our outright challenge of its accuracy and whether it's useful at all," Richmond said.

The 12-page intelligence assessment produced in August details influences behind a series of attacks it labels as perpetrated by black identity extremists. The grouping is one of nine movements investigated by the FBI's domestic terrorism program -- alongside white supremacy, anarchist and anti-abortion movements -- and is comprised of individuals who use violence in response to "perceived racism and injustice in American society," the agency says.

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