2000-2005 Strategic Plan DOJ (Clinton Admin)
http://www.usdoj.gov/archive/mps/strategic2000_2005/goal1.htmStrategic Objective 1.4 TERRORISM - - Deter and detect terrorist incidents by developing maximum intelligence and investigative capability.
Dramatic changes in the international and domestic environments have produced credible and serious terrorist threats that were not present a few years ago. Each of these threats, which include efforts of international terrorists, the growing threat of the criminal use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and criminal acts perpetrated by domestic terrorists, presents the Department with a clear but difficult challenge. As a result of these emerging threats, the number of "players" capable of carrying out a devastating terrorist attack against the United States has increased.
One of the most alarming trends in terrorism today is the rise in the number of groups for which political or religious beliefs constitute sufficient motivation for terrorist attacks. To the individuals associated with and/or following the teachings of these groups, violence is often viewed as the most effective means to achieve their goals. These individuals feel it is their sacred duty to target broad groups perceived to be enemies, such as immigrants, Jews, blacks, U.S. citizens, and government workers. For many international terrorists, there is no incentive to moderate their violence. Rather, they believe that indiscriminate violence and mass casualties serve their ends by intimidating large population groups and fomenting societal instability.
In addition to these challenges, the rapid technological advancements of the information age have rendered crime-fighting efforts increasingly complex and opened new avenues for global criminal activities. All critical infrastructures now rely on computers, advanced telecommunications, and, to an ever increasing degree, the Internet, for system control and management, interaction with other infrastructures, and communications with suppliers and customers. The increasing interconnectedness of our critical infrastructures through cyberspace and information systems has created new vulnerabilities as criminals, terrorists, and foreign intelligence services are learning to exploit the power of cyber-tools and weapons. Our vulnerability is exacerbated by several factors. Most of our infrastructures rely on commercially available, off-the-shelf technology which means that a vulnerability in hardware or software is not limited to one organization, but is likely to be widespread. Infrastructures are increasingly interdependent and interconnected, making it difficult to predict the cascading effects that the disruption of one infrastructure would have on others.
Within the broad range of threats facing the Department, the following are the most significant:
Usama Bin Ladin (UBL) UBL, a Saudi-born multimillionaire, and his organization, Al-Qaida, constitute a threat to U.S. persons and interests around the world. On February 23, 1998, Bin Ladin issued a "fatwa" claiming that it is the duty of all Muslims to kill American "civilians and military" whenever possible. UBL and his associates are currently under indictment in the Southern District of New York for various charges relating to the killing of U.S. nationals employed by the U.S. military who were serving in Somalia and on the Arabian Peninsula, as well as the killings of U.S. nationals employed at the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The FBI is aggressively pursuing an investigation of UBL and his associates and considers investigation of Al-Qaida a top priority of the Counter-terrorism Program.
Chemical and Biological Weapons Internationally, there is credible intelligence indicating that terrorist organizations are attempting to obtain a WMD capability. Domestically, a growing number of "lone offender" and extremist splinter elements of right-wing groups are acquiring or developing chemical, biological, or radiological materials for illicit use. The fear generated by WMD threat or attack makes it an effective disruption tool available to both terrorists and criminals. As the public's awareness of WMD has increased, so has the number of threats, to include a dramatic increase in non-credible threats to use anthrax.
Anti-Government Groups Violent anti-government groups and white supremacists remain a serious threat. We must aggressively investigate those groups whose actual or potential criminal activities rise to the threshold of criminal investigations.
Information Infrastructure Terrorists, transnational criminals, and intelligence services are quickly becoming more aware of and utilizing the power of information exploitation tools and weapons. Because of the widespread availability and low acquisition costs of tools and techniques to conduct cyber attacks, some international terrorist groups may have already developed the capability to conduct such attacks. As greater amounts of money are transferred through computer systems, as more fee-based computer services are introduced, as more sensitive proprietary economic and commercial information is exchanged electronically, and as the nation's defense and intelligence communities increasingly rely on commercially available information technology, there is a greater likelihood that information attacks will threaten vital national interests.
Strategies to Achieve the Objective
As a means of addressing the national and international problem of terrorism, the Attorney General developed a Five-Year Interagency Counter-Terrorism and Technology Crime Plan in 1998. The Attorney General was charged by the Congress with creating a plan that would be representative of all participating agencies involved in the government's counter-terrorism effort. The resulting document is comprehensive in scope and serves as a blueprint for the coordination of national policy and operational capabilities to combat terrorism in the United States and against American interests overseas. The three strategies outlined below capture the essence and intent of the Five-Year Interagency Counter-Terrorism and Technology Crime Plan.
Identify, investigate, and prosecute suspected terrorists around the world.
In responding to terrorist threats, the Department has placed a high priority on developing a comprehensive understanding of the intentions of terrorist organizations and has initiated action designed to counter those efforts. These efforts require an effective ongoing mechanism to receive information on a timely basis and to develop program-specific intelligence products that will provide improved evaluation, exploitation, and dissemination of needed information. A closely coordinated effort must occur between FBI Headquarters, FBI field offices, the U.S. Intelligence Community, state and local partners, and the Department's Office of Intelligence Policy and Review (OIPR) in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information related to specific threats. A comprehensive training program is integral to an effective terrorism response and program management must focus on improving the capability to provide foreign language translators to important investigative operations. Once threats are identified, all appropriate investigative actions must be taken, with the goal being the successful thwarting of terrorist acts and prosecution of those involved.
Ensure domestic preparedness through training, assistance and operational support.
Because of the catastrophic consequences posed by a terrorist attack involving weapons of mass destruction, we must increase the preparedness of the nation by strengthening capabilities at the local, state, and federal levels to safely and effectively respond to terrorist events. The Department works with communities throughout the country to ensure that they have the resources and training to respond to incidents of terrorism and to assist U.S. citizens who are the victims of such violence. A comprehensive training program is integral to an effective terrorism response.
In addition to partnerships with federal counterparts, the FBI and the National Domestic Preparedness Office (NDPO) will continue to foster the promulgation and dissemination of cooperative domestic preparedness initiatives in support of state and local emergency responders. Consistent with the leadership and guidance of the Criminal Division, the USAs have been charged with the responsibility of developing district crisis response plans. The plans will provide a crosswalk to FBI crisis response plans as well as similarly focused state, local and regional emergency response plans. (17)
Prevent and deter debilitating damage to the U.S. information infrastructure.
A key area of focus is preventing and deterring terrorists from infiltrating our complex network of U.S. infrastructures. We must initially identify and strengthen all necessary assets and capabilities (equipment, personnel, training, points of contact, intelligence base) to support and initiate complex operations designed to disrupt or defeat threats to the critical infrastructures. The FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC) will strengthen its intelligence base by developing information resources and working relationships with infrastructure owners and operators and a mechanism for information sharing between the public and private sectors. NIPC will develop all necessary assets and capabilities to support operations aimed at disrupting and defeating threats to critical infrastructures. The National Infrastructure Protection and Computer Intrusion Program (NIPCIP) is working with the National Foreign Intelligence Program on state-sponsored infrastructure threats and with the Criminal Investigative Division on criminal threats to the infrastructure.
Key Crosscutting Programs
Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG). TCIRG was created in 1994 to facilitate the FBI's rapid response to, and management of, crisis incidents and to integrate tactical and investigative resource expertise to address terrorist incidents, hostage taking, barricaded subjects, child abductions, serial murderers, and other high risk violent crimes requiring an immediate law enforcement response. CIRG's many components interact with most federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies on a daily basis, including the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Treasury and all state and local law enforcement agencies.
FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) System. The FBI JTTF System is the principal component for our coordination effort. In addition, a new and ongoing initiative by the FBI's Counter-Terrorism Program includes increasing the number of Regional Terrorism Task Forces (RTTF). JTTFs and RTTFs maximize counter-terrorism resources in a geographic region by combining the capabilities of federal, state, and local agencies into one operational element.
Infraguard. The FBI, in conjunction with the private sector, has developed an initiative called "Infraguard" to expand direct contacts with private and public sector infrastructure stakeholders to share information about cyber intrusions, exploited vulnerabilities, and physical infrastructure threats.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
