NEW YORK, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) - Amid rising political violence in the United States, one of the most troubling facts about adherents of extremist movements is that veterans, active-duty military personnel and members of law enforcement are overrepresented, reported The New York Times on Sunday.

The Capitol is seen in Washington, Nov. 11, 2022. The post-election narrative has been focused on each party’s electoral fate: Republicans were disappointed that a red wave did not materialize, while Democrats braced for the likelihood of a House Republican takeover. (File photo: AP)

One estimate found that "at least 25 percent of members of extremist paramilitary groups have a military background," said the report, which is "partly due to extremist groups focusing on recruiting from these populations because of their skills."

For example, of the more than 900 people arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 attacks, 135 had military or law enforcement backgrounds, according to the report.

"For decades, police departments, the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs have known about the problem, yet they have made only halting progress in rooting out extremists in the ranks," it said.

"The end of wars and the return of the disillusioned veterans they can produce have often been followed by a spike in extremism," it added.