Napolitano stands by controversial report

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By Audrey Hudson and Eli Lake

"It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration," said the report, which also listed gun owners and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as potential risks.

The assessment is not the first Homeland Security product to examine threats based on political extremism. In January, the department sent law enforcement officials an assessment of cyberterrorism threats from such left-leaning sources as environmental, animal rights and anarchist groups.

Mike German, policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union and a former FBI agent, said his organization was concerned about law enforcement agencies' focus on radicalization, regardless of the specific ideology.

"Certainly, the right-wing report is focused far too much on rhetoric and things people say and things people think rather than on criminal activity and the people involved in criminal activity," he said. "There is plenty of crime out there for federal, state and local law enforcement to worry about. They don't need to invent threats that they have no factual basis for supporting."

The American Legion on Tuesday said the latest report unfairly stereotypes veterans.

"I am aware of the letter from American Legion National Commander [David K.] Rehbein, and my staff has already contacted him to set up a meeting next week once I return from travel. I will tell him face-to-face that we honor veterans at DHS and employ thousands across the department, up to and including the Deputy Secretary," Ms. Napolitano said.

"As the department responsible for protecting the homeland, DHS will continue to work with its state and local partners to prevent and protect against the potential threat to the United States associated with any rise in violent extremist activity," Ms. Napolitano said.

Asked about the report at Wednesday's White House briefing, press secretary Robert Gibbs said he has not spoken with President Obama specifically about it.

"Without getting into the report, I think the president works hard every day to make sure that all Americans are safe and secure," Mr. Gibbs said.

"And I would say that, as it relates to some aspect of the report, that the president believes those who serve our country represent the very best of it," Mr. Gibbs said.

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, said Wednesday that the department owes veterans an apology.

"To characterize men and women returning home after defending our country as potential terrorists is offensive and unacceptable," he said. "Everyone agrees that the department should be focused on protecting America, but using such broad-based generalizations about the American people is simply outrageous."

Rep. Steve Buyer of Indiana, the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, called it "inconceivable" that the Obama administration would categorize veterans as a potential threat.

"This kind of mischaracterization can lead to discrimination against veterans in our society, especially in the job market," Mr. Buyer said. "Vietnam veterans were subjected to this unfair treatment, and I call upon President Obama and members of Congress to refute any similar stereotyping of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans."

• Jon Ward contributed to this report.