Terrorism Defendants With Concrete Ties to Violent Extremists Leverage Their Connections to Avoid Prison

Summary: Since the 9/11 attacks, at least 30 people convicted ofinternational terrorism-related offenses have become informants and/or cooperating witnesses in exchange for leniency in sentencing, according to an analysis by The Intercept of federal terrorism prosecutions. Using the threat of criminal prosecution to encourage someone to cooperate is a well-worn tactic that long predates the war on terror.