Entrapment or Necessary Tool: The Role of Informants and Undercover Officers in Terrorism Cases

Informants and undercover officers are a central part of American counter-terrorism strategy. Almost half of the individuals accused of terrorism related crimes since 9/11 have been monitored by informants. Today, the FBI maintains 15,000 informants across the United States working cases on a variety of issues not just terrorism. Yet many investigations have come under criticism for entrapping vulnerable individuals who would not have engaged in terrorist activity if they had never crossed paths with law enforcement. What is the proper role of informants and undercover operations? Are they catching terrorists or manufacturing them?