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Below is a copy of the Think Tank and study proposal brief, that was submitted to the United States Department of Justice in 2012
Classified Think Tank and Study Name:
Uniforms and Extreme Beliefs:
Understanding Political and Religious Extremism within the Armed Forces, Public and Private Sectors, and Civilian Militias worldwide.
Prepared by:
The Public Intelligence Project – Central Intelligence Agency
Christopher L. Fitzgerald
Senior Adviser to the Inspector General
Central Intelligence Agency
1000 Colonial Farm Rd
McLean, Virginia 22101
Prepared for Submission to:
U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave.NW
Washington DC 20530
Submitted January, 06th 2012
I. Executive Summary
Political and religious extremism ideologies are increasingly manifesting within the ranks of the military, public and private society, and civilian militias, that are threatening democratic integrity, and national cohesion. The project Uniforms and Extreme Beliefs seeks to study the causes, mechanisms, and prevention strategies for ideological infiltration within government, and security institutions. Through interdisciplinary research and global partnerships, the initiative aims to provide governments and civil society with frameworks to detect, prevent, and mitigate internal, and external radicalization.
II. Project Objectives
- Identify pathways through which political or religious extremism penetrates public, government, military, and militia structures.
- Analyze how ideology spreads and influences behavior within societal, and military, and government command hierarchies.
- Develop frameworks for countering internal, and external radicalization ethically and effectively.
- Strengthen institutional resilience through training and reform.
- Engage civil and religious actors to promote loyalty to constitutional and governmental order.
III. Research Scope and Key Areas
- Historical and Comparative Analysis: Case studies of ideological infiltration within state and non-state armed groups, as well as government and religious institutions.
- Radicalization Pathways: Institutional and psychological factors driving extremism inside government, military, and religious entities.
- Civilian Militias: Role of religion and politics in militia mobilization and recruitment.
- Institutional Resilience: Early-warning systems, ethics education, and leadership reform.
- Faith, Ethics, and Command Culture: Promoting religious literacy and moral integrity in command.
- Reintegration and Accountability: Frameworks for post-conflict rehabilitation of radicalized personnel.
IV. Expected Outputs
- Flagship Report: Extremism in Uniform policy study
- Policy Toolkit for internal counter-extremism in defense institutions
- Ethics and Leadership Manual for military academies
- Secure Data Dashboard tracking ideological risks
- Confidential strategy roundtables with defense and faith leaders
- DOJ report on political and religious extremism in public society and group cell formation ideologies, that exists in public and private sectors, and government institutions
- Observation reports of public, private, government, and military group key actors - who lead specific groups, and group cells, that are associated with all identified extremist groups
V. Impact and Legacy
This initiative will enhance civil–military trust, government agency and employee accountability, prevent ideological capture within government, public, private, religious, and armed forces institutions. This initiative will promote ethical, pluralistic leadership in all areas of government, society, and national defense sectors. It offers a durable foundation for future policy, training, and international cooperation against internal, and external extremism within all sectors of public and private society including religious, government and military institutions.
2025 Think Tank Updates
"Uniforms and Extreme Beliefs" Think Tank – A Military, Governmental, public, religious, and Medical Research Study
Since its launch in early 2012, the "Uniforms and Extreme Beliefs" Think -Tank, led by the CIA - has collaborated extensively with every U.S. federal agency, numerous research universities and institutes, religious organizations, and both federal, and multi-state congressional bodies.
The study has revealed that military, religious, and political extremism exists in some form across all sectors of society and government. This extremism manifests through various groups, some echoing ideologies historically associated with the Ku Klux Klan. These include QAnon, Oath Keepers, the 3% Group, Proud Boys, Antifa, Black Lives Matter, The Punishers, We The People, and other smaller, less influential organizations.
These groups have relied on encrypted online applications to coordinate activities within their cells. Notably, these encrypted platforms were covertly developed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
Throughout the study, classified teams of medical researchers and military scientists have embedded themselves within these digital communities. Their goal has been to guide group behavior and analyze how members visually identify with their affiliations in public.
This includes the use of specific colors in clothing and vehicles, as well as grooming styles—such as beard growth, hair braiding, and dyed hair in colors like blonde, red, or green—used to signal group membership and cultural alignment.
These visual identifiers have been instrumental in helping researchers understand how individuals engage with social groups, religious institutions, and government or military bodies.
The study has uncovered how certain individuals and organizations have infiltrated societal and governmental structures, forming covert networks that aim to subvert established systems and, in some cases, orchestrate efforts to overthrow governments—most notably in the United States.
One of the most visible examples of these activities was the January 6th, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, which publicly demonstrated the extent of coordination among these groups.
Due to the sensitive nature of this research, the majority of findings and ongoing investigations remain highly classified and are not available for public review.
Christopher L. Fitzgerald
Deputy Director CIA Labs
The Public Intelligence Project