Our Views: Shootings point to terrorism

The shootings of four St. John the Baptist Parish sheriff’s deputies, in which two of the deputies were killed and the two others seriously wounded, is a grave reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers everywhere.

At least some of the seven people arrested in connection with the shootings have been linked to anarchists on the FBI’s domestic terrorism watch list.

Sorting out the specifics of these cases will take time, and further details of shootings, including the backgrounds of those involved, will no doubt emerge as the cases are prosecuted.

But initial reports have linked the heavily armed suspects with the “sovereign citizens” movement, a group that does not believe in the authority of the United States government.

The previous activities of such groups, which include making threats against judges and law enforcement officers, are reminders that the threat of terrorism is not limited to prospective attackers from abroad. Domestic terrorism is an unfortunate part of our national life, as evidenced by the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995 that claimed 168 lives and injured more than 680. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the deputies who were killed. We wish the deputies who survived the shootings a speedy recovery.