Kate Laurensen is a veteran reporter. She started out covering entertainment news for the local city paper before moving up to the City desk. She studied journalism at San Francisco City College for the Arts.
June 22 , 2025
Washington, D.C. — In a move reflecting growing concerns over domestic extremism, the U.S. government will significantly expand surveillance and monitoring operations targeting potential sleeper cells and so-called “incel” extremists, Pentagon officials confirmed this week.
At a press briefing on Friday, Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Marcus Fielding stated that incel-related violence poses a particularly insidious threat due to the nature of its perpetrators—typically isolated, aggrieved men driven by misogynistic ideology and radicalized online.
“Unlike traditional terror networks, incels often act alone, making them extremely difficult to identify ahead of time,” Fielding said. “They are unpredictable, and in many cases, they feel they have little to lose, which amplifies their potential for violence.”
Fielding noted that the Department of Defense is coordinating with the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to increase intelligence sharing and behavioral threat assessment capabilities, especially in areas where online radicalization trends are rising.
The increased focus on individuals operating outside of established groups has raised new ethical and legal questions. Civil liberties advocates have cautioned against overreach, warning that vague or overly broad definitions of extremism could lead to profiling or infringement on free speech rights.
“Monitoring ideology is a slippery slope,” said Nadine Alston, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union. “While preventing violence is vital, we must ensure that surveillance is grounded in concrete threats and not simply political or social dissent.”
The Pentagon emphasized that the initiative will focus on known risk indicators, behavioral patterns, and digital footprints—not beliefs alone.
Officials say that incel-motivated violence is part of a broader trend of radicalization in online communities, where platforms like Telegram, Reddit, and fringe forums can act as echo chambers for hate and nihilism.
“Many of these individuals see themselves as victims of society and embrace martyrdom-like fantasies,” Fielding added. “That makes them volatile and dangerous in ways we are still learning to predict.”
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