How does the federal criminal justice system handle cases involving terrorism?

The federal criminal justice system handles cases involving terrorism in a specific way. In most cases, the FBI investigates suspected terrorism cases and, if warranted, hands them over to the Department of Justice. The DOJ then reviews the evidence and decides how to proceed. Depending on the severity of the crime, the case may go before a grand jury that decides whether to indict the accused of the charges brought. If the person is indicted, the case then moves to a federal court where it can be tried. In some cases involving terrorism, the government may invoke special laws and procedures to handle the case. For example, the USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism) enables the government to use wiretapping, secret searches, and other surveillance measures on those suspected of terrorism. The PATRIOT Act also allows the government to detain suspects without filing criminal charges for up to seven days. Finally, the federal criminal justice system also provides harsher punishments for terrorism-related crimes, such as life sentences, which may be imposed if convicted. In addition, the federal government can even seek the death penalty in cases of terrorism, in certain states. In Maryland, however, the death penalty is not an option for federal terrorism charges.

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How does the federal criminal justice system handle cases involving terrorism?

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