Department of Justice, U.S.

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is the country's primary law enforcement agency that addresses domestic terrorism and terrorist threats. Through the office of the attorney general, the DOJ is responsible for bringing terrorists to trial.

In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed Executive Order No. 11396; this order directed and authorized the U.S. attorney general to coordinate the law enforcement and crime prevention activities of all federal agencies. Thus, the DOJ is significantly involved in the domestic surveillance, arrest, detention, and trial of suspected terrorists. The prosecution of terrorists who have committed acts within the United States has, for the most part, been successful. In fact, prosecution is considered one of the most important and exercised tools to counter terrorism and has long played a vital role in U.S. counterterrorism policy.

Much like prosecutions for other crimes, the prosecution of terrorists has several ...