Trial and Terror The U.S. government has prosecuted 926 people for terrorism since the 9/11 attacks. Most of them never even got close to committing an act of violence. Data last updated on July 15, 2020

The U.S. government segregates terrorism cases into two categories — domestic and international. This database contains cases classified as international terrorism, though many of the people charged never left the United States or communicated with anyone outside the country.



Since the 9/11 attacks, most of the 926 terrorism defendants prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice have been charged with material support for terrorism, criminal conspiracy, immigration violations, or making false statements — vague, nonviolent offenses that give prosecutors wide latitude for scoring quick convictions or plea bargains. 603 defendants have pleaded guilty to charges, while the courts found 198 guilty at trial. Just 3 have been acquitted and 4 have seen their charges dropped or dismissed, giving the Justice Department a near-perfect record of conviction in terrorism cases.



Today, 358 people charged with terrorism-related offenses are in custody in the United States, including 62 defendants who are awaiting trial and remain innocent until proven guilty.



Very few terrorism defendants had the means or opportunity to commit an act of violence. The majority had no direct connection to terrorist organizations. Many were caught up in FBI stings , in which an informant or undercover agent posed as a member of a terrorist organization. The U.S. government nevertheless defines such cases as international terrorism.



514 terrorism defendants have been released from custody, often with no provision for supervision or ongoing surveillance, suggesting that the government does not regard them as imminent threats to the homeland.



A large proportion of the defendants who did have direct connections to terrorist groups were recruited as informants or cooperating witnesses and served little or no time in prison. At present, there have been 34 such cooperators . By contrast, many of the 339 defendants caught up in FBI stings have received decades in prison because they had no information or testimony to trade. They simply didn’t know any terrorists.

All Cases All Cases

Stings

Cooperators

In custody

Released

Awaiting Trial 926 total Charges Since 9/11, 52 percent of terrorism defendants prosecuted by the Justice Department have been charged with material support . Most common charges in all cases 479 Material support

206 Criminal conspiracy

180 Immigration violations

155 Making false statements

145 Firearms violations

84 Financial violations

80 Use, threats, or attempts to use weapons of mass destruction

79 Money laundering

75 Conspiracy to murder, kidnap, or maim overseas

56 Murder, attempted murder, or related offenses

51 Importation, manufacture, distribution, or storage of explosive material

50 Drug violations

40 Funding terrorists

36 Racketeering

36 Obstruction of justice

30 Sale or receipt of stolen or counterfeit goods

21 Seditious conspiracy

16 Tax violations

13 Trafficking in contraband cigarettes

12 Receiving terrorist training

12 Air safety violations

11 Hostage taking

10 Smuggling

10 Attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries

9 Making threats Terrorist Affiliation Starting in 2014, there was a dramatic rise in ISIS-related terrorism prosecutions. Purported affiliation in all cases Undercover Investigations 37 percent of terrorism defendants were caught up in FBI stings . Use of stings Place of Prosecution 26 percent of defendants charged with terrorism-related offenses have been prosecuted in New York . All prosecutions by state