BOSTON — The man who was killed by Boston officers after he threatened them with a knife appears to represent the kind of homegrown extremist a federal pilot program seeks to counter. But his case also raises some doubts about whether the preventive measures can even work.
Under Countering Violent Extremism, launched to fanfare by President Barack Obama’s administration in February after months of development, law enforcement and Islamic and community leaders are supposed to work together to tackle terrorism by preventing radicalization from taking root among youths and others vulnerable to extremist propaganda like that spread online by the Islamic State group.
