Domestic Terrorism Gets New Focus [AUDIO]

The U.S. Justice Department is reviving a special task force that will focus on preventing acts of domestic terrorism. 

One New Jersey terrorism official said the panel is an important and necessary step.

"The possibility is always there of a 'lone wolf' terrorist or a sympathizer with al-Qaida or from a breakout satellite group," said Vincent Bove, a terror and security expert in Short Hills. "The mind of these individuals is so dysfunctional - so having a task force focusing on the issue makes a lot of sense."

The reconstituted panel will include national security lawyers from the Justice Department and representatives from the FBI, among other agencies. Participants in the group will share information in hopes of disrupting violence motivated by extremist ideologies, like the April shooting outside a Jewish Community Center in Kansas.

Bove stressed with any act of terrorism, the threat of serious and deadly violence is always there, and the U.S. must do everything possible to prevent it while also preparing for the worst.

"We must not have short-term memories.  We must realize that an act of terror is always existing. We must always be vigilant and work closely with law enforcement, and always speak up if we see anything that is of suspicious nature," Bove said.

The task force was first formed nearly 20 years ago under then-Attorney General Janet Reno after the Oklahoma City bombing, and had been scheduled to meet the morning of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. But it never did, and the group was disbanded as attention turned to international terrorism.

The Associated Press contributed to this report