IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

When defining 'terrorism' matters

On Monday, the Justice Department announced that the suspect in the Boston Marathon Bombings, Dhzokhar Tsarnaev, was charged with conspiring to use a Weapon of
This undated photo provided by the vkontakte website shows Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been on the run, described as \"armed and dangerous\" and suspected of the Boston Marathon bombing. His brother, Tamerlan, was killed during a violent...
This undated photo provided by the vkontakte website shows Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been on the run, described as \"armed and dangerous\" and...

On Monday, the Justice Department announced that the suspect in the Boston Marathon Bombings, Dhzokhar Tsarnaev, was charged with conspiring to use a Weapon of Mass Destruction.

Last Wednesday, Chris Hayes asked FBI veteran, Donald Borelli, how the FBI determines when a crime is terrorism. How, Chris inquired, do we distinguish between a crime like the one committed at Sandy Hook Elementary and the Boston Marathon Bombings?

Borelli responds: "...the reason, i think, why it was easy for people to come out early and say it's terrorism, you had a Weapon of Mass Destruction that was used to kill people." The distinction, according to Borelli, is that the pressure cooker bomb used in the Boston Marathon Bombings is considered a WMD.

Watch the full video below.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy